A Destiny awoken
by MyukaPhoenix
Summary: The starship Destiny has been asleep for 3 long years and awakes to the strangest sight yet. A new race of advanced aliens, a new enemy or a new fried? One thing is sure. In one way or another this Galaxy will be their last. They will find their way home.
1. Destiny Begins

THE NEW FACE

Jutoi quietly walked through the halls of the strange vessel. It seemed like this ship had been occupied but not recently. The crew, if they were still alive must have left nearly three years ago. In the control room, Jutoi began pushing buttons, and after examining the console for only a few moments closed her eyes connecting the mental link she had with her people.

"The ship seems empty. Also, it's a language I do not understand. However, I can at least find some system analysis windows but I can do nothing with them until I understand the language."

"Good work Jutoi, we'll keep the shield expanded around the ship. Continue to explore, see if you can find anything worth salvaging."

"Yes sir," was her response and she turned from the control room. It took hours to conduct a proper examination of the portside of the ship with the damage to the hull but the hours were nothing to her; this ship was like a sweet Antolian Tritess and she was not going to let it go without a full examination.

Nearly three hours into the examination Jutoi passed a hallway that was locked, but something curious passed her senses. Minds… nearly a hundred of them! She began to work at the door's panel. After fifteen minutes of tampering the doors cracked open. Using her pressure tool she opened it enough for her lythe body to enter. Once inside awe hit her. Pods! Large amounts of stasis pods were filled with strange alien life forms! The crew had not left, or died… the crew had gone to sleep!

A short examination of the pod room's control panel told Jutoi that all pods were full, she was unable to decipher much else. _But_… she thought, _this ship must belong to these aliens and though in stasis their minds are still active! _Choosing a boy on the far end Jutoi searched his mind for the key thought of "open". Once found, it was only a matter of repeating the mental process she saw there in real life.

DESTINY

Eli Wallace felt a strange rush of air brush his face. _How long is this stasis going to last? I can't believe I fixed the pod in time!_ He thought. But, just as the thought left his mind, his eyes opened to a sight he would never forget.

Roughly humanoid in shape the alien before him was frightening. The first thing he noticed was its skin, black, and fuzzy. Its head looked like a mixture of fox, cat, and raccoon. With the menacing red eyes of a killer and the completely uncovered body of an Amazoness were-wolf, the sight made the terrified scream of horror catch in Eli's throat. Frozen in time, Eli had only secondary thoughts of _where's the crew?_

Before Eli could fully react to the strange alien she slipped out of view, her prehensile tail twitching as she went. Eli took a moment to recover and lunged out, ready to fight. Almost immediately Eli saw the others slowly emerge from their long sleep. A few others had seen the strange black alien pass by and were beginning to ask questions. She wasn't in sight but Eli was sure she was nearby, a momentary lack of reason swept through him and he gave chase.

"Eli? Where are you going?" Rush called out, but once around the corner Eli wasn't going to stop. He heard of few surprised gasps escaping the pod corridors and turned. There the alien stood among 8 of the once asleep crew. Her tail twitched and the gray patterns in her skin/fur rustled. All stood in undecided horror and confusion. What was going on?

At that moment Col. Young, Lt. Scot, Sgt, Greer and Rush came bursting around the corner. The amazoness alien looked at them only for a moment before reaching the door. Greer's immediate reaction was to grab for his gun, but it wasn't there, so in a swift moment of decision he rushed forward and tackled the alien against the pod room's cracked door.

THE NEW FACE

Jutoi screeched in pain as her should hit metal. The alien had attacked her! In response her tail lashed around releasing a hidden spike and stabbing his side. He let out a grunt of pain and she stood pulling a weapon from her pouch, aiming it at him. The room grew stiff with tension. Jutoi sensed all their minds preparing for a battle. She was outnumbered and unprepared. Though she could call for help and easily win the battle, she decided that was not the best decision. This alien race had been rudely awoken on their ship and they were acting out in a reasonable manner.

Slowly Jutoi eased her body into a defensive position gently placing the weapon on the ground and crouching down to eye level with them. Her tail relaxed and swayed peacefully back and forth. The tension eased as an older alien called harshly to the fallen warrior. Gingerly he stepped away from Jutoi and closer to the obvious leader.

Jutoi help out her hands to the aliens watching her, and more were beginning to join now. Slowly she turned, keeping one hand up in defense and pulled her bag of tools through the crack in the door. It seemed that, though tense, they were ok with this act. Quickly she began searching for her research tablet. She pulled it out and immediately began searching for any information on these strange bipedal aliens though she believed she already knew the answer.

They were murmuring among themselves now and with the finish of Jutoi's search, with a negative result, she sorely wished that she could understand their language. A new race of aliens! She would go down in Antolian history! Before she could do anything else, an alarm began to blare. The aliens tensed and looked to the door, they wanted out, and so did she.

Quickly using her tool Jutoi opened the door to its fullest aperture and rushed out, "What is going on sir?" Jutoi asked through her mental connection. She ran down the hall to the control room, the aliens followed close behind.

"It seems the ship is losing life support, it's a wreck Jutoi there are many things that are failing! I suggest you get out of there."

"Sir… the crew is still on board."

Shock rippled through the collective consciousness and Jutoi began pressing buttons on the console trying to find a solution, before she remembered… the alien crew was awake. Jutoi rushed forward grabbing the boy and pulling him towards the console.

DESTINY

Eli nearly screamed again as the alien pulled him towards the console, he almost asked, "why me?" but now was not the time to wonder why the alien chose him. He examined the console.

"Sir, life support is failing!"

Young and Rush stepped forward, Rush at another console and Young looking at the screen. All ignored the large black alien in their presence as they re-routed and re-booted long dormant power cells. Commands were shot around and soon all the crew was active in bringing the Ancient ship Destiny back to life. Before the crisis was over Rush called out to Young, "Colonel you may already know this… but there is an alien ship just off of port." Rush and Young looked to the black alien only for a moment, "It's large and very advanced…" Rush added before continuing the work on Destiny's life-support.

THE NEW FACE

Jutoi watched with fascination, their minds though not connected worked as one. They must have been a crew for a very long time! Judging by the state of their ship, they must have been through quite a lot.

It took only a few moments before Jutoi sensed many things were going very wrong and the aliens began to raise their voices to one another. Jutoi linked again with her collective, "Is there something we can do remotely? Their ship seems to be ready to explode."

There was verbal silence as the collective began to work through possible scenarios. Soon Jutoi's ship began to act. With the alien ship in their field they could move and drag it wherever they went. Jutoi's ship began to move, slowly at first, but picking up speed they rushed to the nearest life-sustaining planet.

DESTINY

"Sir! We've just jumped into FTL…" Eli said with disbelief.

"What? Even with all the damage…? Why are we not dead…?" Rush and Young exchanged a look of curiosity. Rush examined the console and looked back to Young, then to the alien, "We aren't the ones that jumped… the Alien ship jumped and we piggybacked… It seems they have expanded their shield around us."

"How motherly of them…" Volker responded.

"Rush… where are they taking us?" Young asked.

"I'm not sure Colonel, if I knew I'd've told you now wouldn't I? We're not in command of the FTL they can take us anywhere they want, and in the meantime, our life support is still failing!

THE NEW FACE

Not a minute too soon Jutoi's ship slowed and quickly began descending to the planet surface. Protected inside their shield the alien ship suffered no damage on re-entry. The aliens, obviously puzzled, began to murmur amongst themselves. Again Jutoi wished she could know their language, but the only way to do so would be for a member of their crew to let her into their conscious, and it was unlikely they would let her do much, they seemed to fear her.

Jutoi's home ship gently hovered above a field and released their shield. The ship dropped and Jutoi and the crew were thrown roughly to the floor inside. The collective led their vessel a further distance and landed safely.

"I suggest we leave now Jutoi… return to home and let the aliens figure out their ships problems in safety."

"… I don't think so sir… You're going to want to see these aliens… I suggest we become acquainted."

DESTINY

"Why would they drop us on a planet?" Rush asked.

"… Perhaps to save one of their own?" Eli pointed out, looking at the alien.

"Maybe they're just helpful aliens." Volker interjected, and added, "Despite our lack of luck in that department, one can hope there are actually helpful aliens out there," when they looked at him with incredulous eyes.

"In either case, we owe them a debt of gratitude…" Young stepped forward. The alien immediately locked eyes with him. Young shivered underneath her powerful gaze, but continued to step forward. Her tail twitched and after a moment's hesitation she reached out her hand to his.


	2. First Contact

_THE NEW FACE_

_He is open_! She marveled. _He is not afraid!_ This was her chance. If the Antolian race was ever going to interact with these aliens this would be it. She would have to act quickly, the process was painful and he might stop her.

She grabbed his hand and lifted it to her face. His hands were so soft she had to pause and admire the furless skin. Then, in a swift movement she turned his hand over palm up, her tail lashed around releasing that hidden spike again and stabbing his hand, this time something was injected into her victim's skin. She stepped back from his defensive response and released him.

Crouching down she tilted her head back and let the single drop of blood drip to her forehead. It soaked into her fur and soon into her skin. The alien DNA was being absorbed into body and her DNA was being absorbed into his. His DNA would act as a filing system for her. Any thought that was linked to her through him would attach itself to his DNA making it possible to distinguish his thoughts from the rest while her DNA would open up his mind to the collective.

Every one of the collective gasped as the new alien mind could be heard, "What the hell?" his voice and mind worked as one. "Holy Shit!"

"Colonel!" his crewmen shouted as they rushed forward. Newly attained weapons were trained on Jutoi. "Colonel are you ok? What the hell did she do?" it was the one Young recognized as Lt. Scott. Memories and words began rushing into the collective's head Jutoi smiled. They were called Human and they were advanced, not far, but far enough for travel with the help of a type of worm hole machine.

The onslaught of information made Jutoi dizzy but she could handle it. In a matter of moments she learned their language, their history, and their social behaviors. She was about to speak when suddenly Young collapsed. Something was wrong! His consciousness in the collective became unstable and was beginning to rip apart! "What have I done?" she asked herself and the collective.

DESTINY

Tamara was called and rushed in to Young's side, "What happened?" she asked with urgency.

"The alien stabbed his hand with her tail!" Eli was close to panic. The alien in question had three soldiers with weapons trained on her. Johanson quickly examined the hand, there was a small patch of blood and a puncture wound. "It must be a poison of some sort! We don't have the supplies to fight venom…" Tamara felt despair begin to creep into her heart but in desperation she began to suck at the small puncture wound in his hand.

"It will do no good Tamara."

Everyone turned in surprise… the alien spoke and it knew her name.

"It has melded with his DNA, I am sorry, I did not think his mind would act this way!"

Johanson stepped forward, "What did you do?"

"It'll take too long to explain, but I had to learn your language somehow or we would have spent years learning to communicate with you!"

"A lot of good it'll do you if he dies! We won't exactly take kindly to that," Greer said with malice in his voice.

"I understand, so let me help. I put him in this state let me find a way to fix it."

After only a moment's hesitation Johanson pulled her forward. The alien reached in her bag and pulled out a small button-like device. She attached it to Colonel Young's head and stepped back, relaxing, "That should keep him steady, his mind will become inactive and it will give us more time to work," She looked to the rest of the crew who stood tense and observant of her every move, "My name is Jutoi and I am a member of the Antolian society… Welcome to planet Tieffay"

ANTOLIAN AND DESTINY on TIEFFAY

After Lt. Scott finally convinced the crew that it was at least safe to leave Destiny they found themselves on a vast plain of what looked like wheat. The alien, Jutoi, began to carry Col. Young to another very large ship a short way in the distance before Johanson stopped her, "You help him here in front of us… I don't want you attaching anything to him while he's with you…"

Jutoi searched through her memories and smiled, "Of course, you're run-in with some rather unsavory aliens has made you cautious. My people call them… well a rough translation would be "Nappers"… They kidnap alien species and run endless tests on them all for the sake of 'knowledge'. I will do as you ask Tamara only to prove that we are nothing like the Nappers."

In minutes several other Antolians appeared, running through the field. They were various colors of grey, brown, and tan, black and white. They also brought supplies with them, food, tools and machines.

"My people have agreed to help service your ship back to health after much convincing from me," Jutoi said smiling as the alien with the tools stepped forward staring in awe at the ship and its crew.

"They are so… delicate looking," the handyman said.

"Yes, Terru, they are. But, looks can be deceiving, and you have work to do. So hop along!" Jutoi spoke and immediately went to work examining Young with the machines brought to her. The tools were dispersed among three of the Antolians and they rushed to the ship. A small female, obviously a child stepped forward with a basket of food.

"It tastes good," she said shyly. The crew apprehensively began to eat.

Scott spoke first, "Looks like your plan worked Eli."

"You're surprised?" Brody laughed, thumping Eli on the back.

"Sure it worked, and if these aliens hadn't jumped in at the last moment we would have breathed our last breathe on that ship," Rush said sarcastically, "Let's not forget that brush."

"Can't you just be a normal human being for once?" Scott jeered.

"Guys, stop! We're alive I don't care if that means my plan failed or not!" Eli held up his hands to the crew, "Honestly I'm relieved they just want to help. They could've dissected us while we were in those pods… yet they didn't. I'm glad we finally met some nice neighbors!"

"Eli's right," Johanson said with a smile, "We should count ourselves lucky they were there when we woke." The crew murmured agreement.

Jutoi worked tirelessly for several hours in silence. Some of the crew returned to Destiny and helped the Antolians fix the broken ship and others set off in exploration of the strange planet, Tieffay. Johanson, Greer, Scott, and Eli stayed behind to watch Colonel Young's progress.

"What do you think happened?" Eli asked.

The little Antolian with the food spoke, "She merged DNA with him."

"What?" Tamara looked confusedly at the little girl, "What does that mean?"

"Jutoi opened his mind to the collective. When we do that, your memories, are ours. The collective keeps no secrets."

"So… you did some Vulcan mind meld on him?" Eli asked. The crew shook their heads but smiled with amusement, the little girl seemed confused, "You know… Vulcans… I thought you said our memories were yours."

"I should rephrase then, Colonel Young's memories are ours… he was the linked one."

"So what is she trying to do now?" Johanson asked.

"She is trying to separate her DNA from his. If she is successful, then he will awake the same Colonel you knew and have no connection with the collective."

"And if she's not successful…?" Tamara hated to ask, but she needed to know.

"Then… there are several scenarios which can occur. The first being his eventual death, second an acceptance of the collective, third, a complete reconstruction of his psyche in order to accept the collective and lastly, a possibility of simple insanity."

The crew looked grim, "So if she fails… he's basically an alien for life…" Eli moaned.

"I am done." Jutoi stood up and walked over to Johanson, "He needs rest, but I cannot tell what damage may or may not have occurred until he wakes. In the meantime, I hope it is alright if I examine your ship more thoroughly."

"First I think we deserve some answers. We've been-"

"In stasis, yes I know Tamara. For three years I believe, judging by the state of the interior of Destiny that's how long I'd assume you've been out. The exterior though… It looks like it hasn't been touched in thousands of years… Our mechanical team will have quite a job fixing it."

"How was it you came to our ship?" Scott asked.

"I was on a research assignment on a nearby planet when your ship dropped out of… FTL, as you call it. Our sensors picked you up and we took our ship to investigate. Once in range we scanned the ship, it was in very bad shape, but often ships will warp to our galaxy with much damage after crossing the Badland Galaxy. It is rare that we find survivors so we did not scan for life."

"Badland?" Greer asked.

"It was the site of a large civil war and the remains of that war have left the galaxy very dangerous to travel through."

"Yeah, we had a few run-ins with those 'remains'…" Greer said.

"I know sergeant," Jutoi smiled, "It is what I originally suspected but what surprised me more was the fact that you had survived by placing yourselves in stasis. You're a very resourceful people…"

"Humans are known for that," Scott smiled.

Johanson looked at the three men then looked where their eyes kept darting too and she smiled, "Humans are also known for their modesty…" during the conversation the men's eyes couldn't help but move to the very voluptuous and uncovered Antolian's body. Though covered in fur, it was not thick enough to hide the very feminine physique.

Confused only for a second, Jutoi laughed then asked for another crewman's jacket. Once covered Johanson decided it best that she give the tour of Destiny. The tour was very short and Tamara had to smile, Jutoi knew every corner of the ship, it wasn't surprising once she realized the alien had a hold of Col. Young's memories. It was a very interesting idea, the sharing of memories, and Tamara wondered if their people ever became overwhelmed with it. How does one show individuality when a whole species is thinking and living inside your head.

"What the hell are you doing Brody?" Rush's voice echoed around the corner.

"I'm trying to bring the life support back online…?" Brody, unsure of why Rush was upset stopped the power-up.

"And that would be our lead scientist…" the lieutenant said with a slight smile. Jutoi knew they had put up with this strange man's surly attitude for a long time and had grown used to it, even ignoring it at times.

"We're on the ground! We don't need life support. We need to find the other problems first. Starting up life support would only drain power that we do not have and cause problems for the rest of us working on actual problems!"

"Careful Nicholas… The damage your words can cause will sometimes be greater than the damage of the ship…" Jutoi smiled as Rush looked up obviously irritated at yet another distraction, "And you do not have to worry about the ship. My people are good mechanics when it comes to older vessels."

"I'm not upset with your people I'm upset with Brody." Rush seemed to calm for a moment as he watched Jutoi move easily through the control room to Brody.

"Bring life support back online Brody," Jutoi asked gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

"But… Rush-"

"Rush is right, it will draw from power you do not have, but you may be surprised how little Rush knows."

Tamara, Brody, and Volker who was now standing in the door all gaped at Jutoi in surprise. She had just insulted Rush! Rush opened his mouth to protest but Jutoi spoke over him, "Do not assume that what is obvious is all there is, Rush. I have seen your antics in Colonel Young's mind and I believe a good humbling is in order… Turn life support on Brody."

There was a moment's hesitation but Brody turned switching the life support system to minimum power. Then all hell broke loose and hundreds of alarms began to blare. Rush smiled smugly.


	3. A Way Home

Brody and Volker rushed forward to their consoles, "Systems are failing all over the ship! Life support is drawing from all other ship systems!" Brody tried stopping the drain of power but it was no use the ship was not responding.

There was a loud pop of electricity down the hall and Volker announced, "Power conduits are failing all over the ship! Several systems are beginning to discharge!"

"Look what you've done!" Rush turned to Jutoi, but Jutoi just stood there, her tail peacefully swaying back and forth.

"Rush! There's an overloaded conduit about to explode on the observation deck!" Brody hurriedly rushed to shut it down but before he could all alarms ceased. There was a moment of silence and the ship let out what could only be described as a sigh. Ventilation began to work and Destiny's systems began to show stable but low power supply.

Jutoi stepped up next to Brody, "Life support seems to be running just fine. After some study Rush I think you might find that Destiny has recognized a livable atmosphere and instead of creating her own inside the ship which draws enormous amounts of 'power you don't have' she has switched to a more safe mode. Instead she is now circulating the air outside to the inside, which requires almost no power at all." The three inside the room looked to Rush and back to Jutoi, nervous about a verbal battle.

Rush simply stared at the monitor examining the systems, finding that everything Jutoi said was true. The system had switched its normal operation of internal life support to an external version. Not only that, but the drop of the drain from life support gave more power to other systems on the ship, even some that had not been used since its previous crew left.

"Have I impressed you Doctor Rush?" Jutoi's tail twitched happily.

"Yes…" was all Rush could respond with. She had indeed impressed him, but only enough to help the ship. She was smart but that didn't mean she wasn't barbaric.

"Now, people of Earth, your ship is in good hands. Our people will see to it while you relax. I insist after the trouble I have caused that you join us tonight under the stars for a short dinner."

The room was quiet at first, marveling at how easily Jutoi had out-played Rush. Everyone enjoyed seeing him knocked down a notch even if just for a short while.

ON THE GROUND

Spirits were high around the fire that night. The Antolians had caught a large bovine animal in the plains and it was cooking over a traditional Earth fire pit. The Antolians were doing their best to make the humans comfortable and happy, the familiarity of the fire helped this along. Drawing on the memories of Colonel Young the Antolians all knew English and even a bit of American history, so conversation was not difficult, however as the night moved on it was beginning to lull and Antolians soon retired to their ship. All except the mechanics who seemed as if they were going to work all night.

"Do they ever rest?" Tamara asked.

"They do not need it yet, but they will return to the ship soon."

"What's your home planet like?" Eli asked floating a Kino close to Jutoi's head. She laughed and gently pushed the Kino a distance away.

"It is large and full of life. There are trees like on your planet and beasts of all kinds. My people live in the ground. We've built vast networks of tunnels and irrigation systems. Nearly a thousand years ago, though, we began to notice our halls were growing a bit too small to fit all of us," she chuckled, "So we built ships to take us above the heavens."

"You built ships? That's it? No study of other cultures or their technologies? You just built ships?" Rush asked, his first contribution to conversation all night.

"The collective holds all memories of those before them."

"So, someone happened to think of the idea of space travel and you just built on that…?" this time Eli spoke. An idea began to circle in his head but he wouldn't voice it until the time was right.

"Yes. Several of the past collective had thought space travel possible. Up until one thousand years ago it was not needed. It was also around that time that we discovered a large ring-like device buried in our mountain ranges."

"A Stargate!" Rush mused.

"Yes, though we do not use it, we understand its purpose."

"Why don't you use it?" Tamara asked this time.

"We had no desire to intrude on other's lands unless it was absolutely necessary," Jutoi smiled at the crew's curiosity. Her people could feel it now through the memories of Colonel Young, and curiosity was already beginning to manifest in the mechanics minds. It was not a foreign concept, but it was very unfamiliar.

Eli changed the subject again, "What if someone was curious enough to build a bigger ship, or a faster way of travel?"

"We would not act on it until it was necessary. Eli, is there something on your mind?" Jutoi turned her head slightly examining the nervous excitement his mind was emitting.

"Yes actually, but I have just a few more questions. How fast can your ships travel at the moment?"

Jutoi thought for a moment, "Our ships have the potential to travel as fast as some of your… 'Hyperspace' drives."

"Eli? What are you getting at?" Scott asked, it was weird that Eli was getting excited about this. An advanced alien race was nothing new to the Stargate program.

Eli ignored the question and went on, "Have you got any ideas about traveling faster? Say… instantaneously?"

"Like the wormhole travel of the Stargate, yes?" Jutoi asked, wondering where he was going.

"Yes… only… for your ships." Eli held his breath, waiting.

"Yes."

Eli nearly jumped in the air with excitement! "And… what about the power constraints?" Immediately the crew understood and everyone leaned in to the conversation, eager for the answer. Jutoi noticed the change and thought for a moment on the answer. The collective too, was curious about their interest in instantaneous travel. However, before she could answer her ears caught sound coming from a tent they had constructed for Colonel Young.

Jutoi stood, the crew was about to protest before they realized she was moving to Colonel Young's tent. Now tension spread for a new reason. Was the Colonel ok?

COLONEL YOUNG'S TENT

Voices could be heard in the distance, but with his head pounding so hard he barely had the capacity to comprehend that they were his crew. What had happened? Why was he in a tent? There was a noise of moving cloth and he vaguely recognized it as the tent opening but the pain in his head pounded on as a constant distraction.

"Everett…"

"Tamara?" No it didn't sound like Tamara and he was almost certain the crew were far away, busy with repairing the ship… No, that wasn't his crew. Antolian. What did that word mean? Who, or what, was an Antolian?

"No Colonel Young. I am Jutoi," a sharp pain shot into Everett's neck and he yelped, "That will help the pain."

"What happened?" Young asked, as the pain in his head seemed to magically fade to a dull ache.

"I will let your crew fill you in on the majority. For now, though I do not suggest sleep, I do suggest relaxation. Your crew can talk to you if you promise not to get overly excited."

Young heard a strange rustling and soon a soft soothing music was playing, another rustling sound that must be the tent flap again and then silence except for the music. Testing the light, Young cautiously opened his eyes. The medicine Jutoi had given him was working perfectly and the strain on his eyes was not a problem! He tried to sit up as someone entered but the swirling vision it brought on sent him back down again.

"Jutoi told you to take it easy Everett." Now _that_ was Tamara.

"Lieutenant Johanson! What happened? What's going on?" Everett asked as Greer, Scott, Eli and Rush entered the room. Chloe would have entered as well but the tent was full with the four previous occupants. Everett smiled as he heard the other crew circle the tent's entry. Camile and Volker were in view beside Chloe.

"You'll never believe it!" Eli said with a laugh.

"Try me."

Rush smirked Young was a glutton for punishment, after having the consciousness of thousands in his head he still wanted to learn more. "Alright Colonel, as you wish… In order to understand us, the alien, Jutoi decided to imbed a bit of her DNA into your system in order to create a sort of neurological link to her people. Once linked, they learned everything about you and the human race. It's quite amazing actually, the amount of neurological stimulation required by such an act should have killed you," Rush's smirk faded, "If it wasn't for Jutoi you probably would have gone insane from the vast amount of knowledge that was crammed into your head… a shame really she had to reverse it."

"A shame?" Greer retorted angrily.

"I'm not saying I'm not glad the Colonel is ok! I'm saying it's a shame we can't learn about them the way they learn about us. It would certainly save a lot of time."

Scott continued the story before an argument developed, "She called on her people sir, they brought supplies and support. They also have some amazing machinery! They hooked you up and pushed some buttons. Not only that, but they decided to help fix the ship too. There are about 3 of their mechanics still at work on the Destiny. It looks like she'll be flying in no time sir!"

Everett sighed with relief, "Good… Now tell me more about these aliens."

"They're called Antolians and they're like something out of a Star Trek movie! Peaceful, intelligent, and highly advanced, these aliens could really be helpful!" Eli's excitement began to boil again.

"Well at least they're not trying to kill us or steal our ship," Young said with a chuckle, but there seemed to be something else Eli wanted to say so Young waited in silence.

"Sir…" Eli looked around at the others, "They may have… well…" he hesitated, Jutoi did say he shouldn't get excited, but this was too exciting _not_ to share, "they may have the power necessary to dial the ninth chevron! Or in the very least give us the ability to fly in Hyperspace!"

Everett froze. He had to digest what Eli just said. Could this be it? Could they finally have a way home?


	4. The Fear

Jutoi returned to her people that night but as she approached she felt a growing sense of concern. Her people were emitting fear. Something wasn't right. She rushed through the halls of her vessel up through the food court on pass the sleeping quarters where most of the crew now lay. The walls were a deep violet color, meant for soothing the mind, but at the moment it seemed as if the calming quality of the wall was not helping. As she ran to the control room the sense of fear began to grow and panic.

The door to the control room opened, "What is wrong?" she asked, though after a moment of looking at the screen she did not need to. The sense of fear spiked in her. This was not possible! _How did they find us? _"All personnel return to the ship and prepare for battle…"

Scientific discussion about the probabilities and programming necessary was fully under-way when the Destiny crew heard a strange noise. Outside there was what sounded like a yelping howl, much like Hyenas back on earth, and it was coming from Destiny's direction. Eli and Scott stepped out to investigate only to find it was the Antolian mechanic crew. They were running on all fours, looking very much like misshapen wolves, towards the alien ship.

"It's just the crew going back to the ship Eli, nothing to worry about." Lt. Scott patted Eli on the shoulder and walked back inside Everett's tent. Eli continued to watch the retreating Antolians, something about the way they ran didn't seem right. If they were simply going home why were they running on all fours so frantically… without their tools? Perhaps they run like that when not around us? And maybe they left their tools behind because they'll return in the morning. Despite his reasoning he watched as the small group entered their ship and, in moments their ship roared to life and began lifting off the ground.

"They're leaving!" Eli shouted. All the crew was looking now with Eli at the retreating vessel. Gracefully it rose off the ground and flew over their heads. In a matter of seconds the ship was gone. The crew began to murmur and panic. Why did they leave? Did they know something we did not?

Rush was the first one to run back to the Destiny, and soon after everyone else, including Colonel Young to Tamara's dismay, was rushing back as well. "Eli, Brody, Volker, I need you on the bridge, I imagine that's where Rush is going," Colonel Young was jogging next to Eli, "See if you can find anything on sensors that scared our friends away."

"Yes sir," he said as they entered the ship via a strange purple bridge the Antolian's left behind. Rush was already inside the bridge and the ship's systems were running smoothly, the Antolians really did a good job!

"Colonel Young," Rush's voice called over the system's intercom, "You're going to want to meet me on the bridge…"

Jutoi sat at the primary weapon console and began charging the ship's photon beam and any other weapon available in their arsenal. Peaceful though they were, there was a recent necessity for offensive defense when it came to the Fear.

The ship rocked back and forth as they were hit from all sides. Ship systems were beginning to fail and Jutoi's leader was calling out orders but Jutoi could barely stay focused… What would happen to the humans on the planet if they did not survive?

"There are three ships in orbit right now. It seems as if they are in battle," Rush was pointing to a screen that dropped down on his command. The scan produced energy readings, life signs, and even showed Young what the ships looked like. They were long centipede like ships, each "leg" was an engine or weapon it seemed. The third was the Antolian ship which was hawklike and powerful.

"We should get up there and help them!" Young looked to Rush, but frowned. Rush wasn't moving, "what's the problem?"

"Destiny was never meant to land," this was Eli, upset.

"So…"

"So it was never meant to take off from a planet," Rush growled.

"Then how did the Ancient's get it into space?"

"Probably the same way we built our satellites in space, does it really matter? Look, the point is, we're not getting back in space without some miracle, or their help," Rush pointed to the Antolian ship on screen.

"Then how do we ensure their victory so we can get off this rock?" Young was getting a little impatient, if their lives depended on this alien race he wasn't going to sit back and watch them fight to the death! There was silence on the bridge though, as each member thought of possible answers.

"We don't have to be in the air to shoot right?" Eli asked pulling up the weapons system on his console. The others jumped to their positions examining the possibility of hitting the alien ships from the ground.

"It'll be hard… but it's possible. We would have to be real careful or we might hit the Antolians. Also if the enemy doesn't know we're here he certainly will when we shoot… and we don't have any shields right now," Volker said looking at Rush and Young.

"So we'd be sitting pretty," Brody grumbled.

Volker turned, "What does that even mean?"

"Pretty? You know your eyes follow something that's pretty you-"

"Boys!" Rush glared and they stopped the argument before it began. He then turned to Colonel Young, "I think it's worth the risk… If the Antolians survive they could very well fix the parts of the ship that have been damaged."

Young smiled lightly, "You'd risk damaging your precious ship to save an alien ship?"

Rush dropped his head for a second, "They are much smarter and far more advanced than us. If we tried to do this without them we'd be out here until we die."

Young nodded, "Aim and fire at the enemy ship."

The whole starboard of the ship was on fire now. Jutoi's crews were trying desperately to evacuate all crew there, but it was too late. Hundreds were already dead and they couldn't reach the dying. The Captain called them back with a painful sense of loss. The grief was felt by all but instead of dwelling they focused their attentions on fighting. Their grief made them fight harder.

"Seal off decks 7-12 and reign in the shield. Divert that excess power to weapons!" the captain's voice was hard again, a needed strength in this catastrophe.

"What's that on screen?" the pilot asked. There were several small dots approaching the Fear. As the dots made contact they exploded.

"Weapons!" Jutoi exclaimed with surprise, then after looking for the source her grin nearly split her face, "It's Destiny! They're firing on the enemy!"

"Direct hit! Boo yah!" Eli pumped his fist in the air.

"Now they know we're here… let's see how this plays out," Young tensed in his seat waiting as Brody and Volker shot drone after drone on the ship. It was working, the surprise took the aliens off guard and one of their ships was shot down.

Both ships cheered!

Then, the remaining ship did something unexpected. Perhaps it was the loss of the advantage, or maybe this was simply their normal reaction to death, but after seeing its sister fall it turned on Destiny. Instead of firing it put full power to engines and set a collision course for the grounded ship. Rush frowned. "They're going Kamikaze!" Scott shouted.

"And we can't move!" Brody panicked.

Young stood, "Get everyone off this ship! NOW!" The intercom sent the message and all crew began rushing out the door to the ground. Young was about to leave but saw Rush at the weapons console, "What the hell are you doing Rush?"

"I can slow its progress by firing weapons. It may not be much but it'll be enough to get the crew away to safety." Rush turned to Colonel Young, he had to know how Rush felt. Rush would rather die than leave this ship, his life's work was for this ship and he couldn't leave it to die, not after all he'd done to get here!

Young frowned, debating whether he should drag Rush out. After a moment he decided. He stepped forward and pulled up a chair at one of the consoles and began firing on the incoming ship. If there was a way to protect his crew he was going to do it, no matter the cost.

"Can you deflect its course with weapons?"

"No sir, it's not working!" Jutoi was in a panic. This human race had traveled a very long distance, had suffered extremely and now they were going to die because of an Antolian mistake. Guilt ran through her like a river.

"Can we slow its progress so the crew can escape?"

"No sir, our gravitation ray is offline from the attack!"

There was a moment of thought as all crew searched for a solution… and as one they saw the answer. It was the only way to save the humans.

Outside, the crew ran as far as they could they heard the sound of the incoming ship and it put speed to their strides. It would be a very large explosion and they needed to be as far away as possible.

The screaming sound of engines and the pops of explosions coming from the Destiny weapons system could be heard for miles. Scott's pounding feet and muscles were about to snap from the strain if he continued any further but fear and adrenaline kept him going. Tamara wept openly as she ran, knowing Young had stayed behind. The rest of the crew consumed by fear continued to run knowing that was the only way of survival. Then something strange happened that stopped all of them in their tracks.

The sounds of another engine came to their ears, soon after the sound of crunching metal exploded around the field, nearly splitting their eardrums. Right after the crash though, the strangest sound yet was heard. It wasn't necessarily the sound that was strange but the distance between the crash of metal and it was strange. Shouldn't there be an immediate quack with the crunching metal? The crew turned around to the belayed tremor of ship meeting ground.

There, digging into the ground east of the fleeing crew was the Antolian ship and the enemy ship. The Antolians had set a course to intercept and collide in order to deflect the ship and protect Destiny.


	5. The Rescue

ANTOLIAN SHIP

Pain. Collective pain. The Collective screamed in agony as explosion after explosion left the ship crippled and dying. Jutoi was barely conscious but she knew what had happened. She knew how many lay in their eternal slumber, the final death. The Collective suffered thousands of mutual deaths and all that were left simply cried in pain.

_How many are left_? They thought. Jutoi's leg and body were pinned in between what used to be the console and the captain's chair, but her mind was becoming more conscious of the race of people she belonged to all her life. She reached out to all of them… the ones that were left. _One, two, three…. Twelve… _They counted out a totally of thirteen survivors of the three thousand on the ship. Jutoi's heart broke and tore apart for the loss of so many, but it was the only way to stop the Fear.

If those aboard the Destiny had died in the fear and panic caused by the collision course… Jutoi didn't want to think about it. Her crew had died with honor saving another race of worthy creatures, there had been no fear, only determination. It was the only way.

Pain shot through Jutoi's leg up her spine, and she screamed. Her consciousness could reach out to the Antolians but her body was still trapped in this metal tomb. Twisted as she was there was no way of escape and she knew it was the same for several others of the survivors.

DESTINY

The crew returned to Destiny bewildered.

"Why would they do that?" Eli asked, tears almost falling from his moist eyes.

"I'm not sure… they definitely didn't owe us anything…" Tamara said, trying to comfort Eli with a pat on the shoulder.

"Well _we_ certainly owe them something!" Colonel Young said and stood. He stalked towards the console with determination, "Can our scans detect anything from the other ship?"

Rush stared open-mouthed at Young, "You've got to be kidding me! That crash had to have been fatal for the whole crew!"

Eli's eyes lit up and he began tapping buttons on the console.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up Young, that crash was a suicide mission," Rush complained.

"Then step aside Rush!" Young growled and stepped forward, challenging, "If you don't want to help then go study some star map or engine specs to get us out of here."

"That's new…" Eli muttered, staring at the view screen.

"What's new?" Young turned around, hoping for good news. Ever since they woke up from their three year nap, even in fact since they were thrown on this rusted ship, there had been almost nothing but bad news. _Just once, God_, he pleaded, _just once I'd like good news._

"Rush… is this what you used to study the ships when they were in battle?" Eli asked Rush who was seemingly pouting in the doorway, probably watching to make sure they didn't screw anything up.

"No," he responded simply. Eli turned a dial and pushed the program key for the new system. It was attached to their scanners and seemed like an enhancer. He gasped as the screen filled with a sonar-like image of the inside of the Antolian ship. Debris was everywhere and Eli could barely make sense of the images.

"Look here… this looks like a wall… but this different color here," the sonar-like readings were colored, but why? "Maybe… maybe that's heat… A person!" Eli realized with excitement, "There are survivors!"

_That's good enough God… Good enough._

ANTOLIAN SHIP

_Ten now…_ The few numbers they had left were beginning to pass on. Jutoi felt each passing with grief and tried all the harder to keep those who were left alive. "Anyone who can move, find a way out and get to Destiny. You can find shelter there. Do not search for us, just go!" there was a protest and Jutoi growled, "By law I am your commander now! This is not a request. Terru… I feel that you are close to the surface. Go."

Terru wanted to disagree but she was right. According to Antolian law he would follow her orders if she took command… and she had taken command. His grey fur bristled and he climbed the wreckage towards what he felt was the sky. His back and shoulder ached and his arm was nearly useless, Gravity didn't help either. His weight added to the already unstable wreckage sent some pieces falling away forcing him to backtrack. He passed a patch of chairs and tables thrown across the room and had to stop. There in the center… His stomach exhaled its contents. Gordian…

"I am sorry Terru. But you must keep moving," was Jutoi's kind but strong voice, "Mourn for his loss later when you are free."

Determination set in but he didn't look down at the mangled body again. Instead he looked up towards the sky. The nutrition section of the ship was just ahead. The windows in that section were bound to be shattered, giving him access to the outside.

DESTINY

"Scot, get your men together with whatever cutting tools you can find. You will work on the front of the ship closest to the ground. Tamara, take Chloe and Camille, stay outside and wait for the survivors. Eli, I want you, Brody and Volker to take the further end of the ship, it looks like that might have been the bridge. See if you can find any survivors through their systems."

"Yes sir!"

Young smiled as the Destiny crew made their way towards the wreckage.

"Why are you doing this?" Rush asked, arms crossed, staring at Young.

"If there are survivors then-"

"You are duty bound to help them sure. I can see how we owe them some sort of help after all they've done for us, but even a military man should see the unlikely possibility that any of these Antolians will survive!"

"Is there ever a time that you're not a pessimist? Perhaps, a time when you're not a total ass?" Young limped around to the third console.

"Why are you limping?"

Young looked at Rush then to his leg. He put full weight on it, but there was no pain. Why _was _he limping? "What does that matter?"

"Here's how I see it," Rush began, and his usual hard exterior melted away a little, "We owe them and I'm glad we're helping. They're a smart species and they could help us so much. We could learn from them. But you… were one of them, if even for a short while. You've just sent you men out on a daring rescue mission on a ship that could possibly explode, it could be extremely dangerous for all our crew, and you sent them without a second thought, without much preparation. Now I know it's urgent," Rush said before Young could interrupt, "they could be dying I get that… Colonel Young… what I'm asking is; Are you doing this for the Antolians as your future friends… or as your own people?"

Young's heart skipped a beat. _What did he say? My people?_ No, of course they were not his people. He knew that, but, there was truth in Rush's words. A moment ago he was limping when he himself had suffered no injury. When the Antolian ship was under attack, though neither Scot nor Greer mentioned anything, Young knew it was a bad military decision to attack the enemy without knowing the conflict. Fear had been rushing through him then, despite the fact that Destiny's crew was perfectly safe… until they fired. He was ready to die just as the Antolians did… "I don't know Rush…" Young finally stated, "I don't know…"

TERRU

The window was clear! Terru nearly cried with delight. He could see light and if he could reach Destiny he could get help! However, climbing the last few steps seemed to be the hardest part. Pieces of the window were scattered across the floor and wall. Terru walked carefully but within a few steps a sharp of the translucent material sliced its way into the pad of his left foot. He yelped in pain but didn't move. If he fell he'd only have more window shards to worry about. He needed something to protect his feet.

Looking around Terru smiled, plates would be perfect if he could find a way to strap them to his feet. He searched for rope but found none. Still grabbing the plates and gingerly removing the shard from his foot Terru place the two plates underneath each paw. Then he grabbed two for his hands. Awkwardly and slowly by sliding each foot and occasionally lifting each plate with his curled toes and fingers he made his way to the window.

Terru stared up into the open sky. So close and yet so far, it was nearly twenty feet above his head. He could try climbing up the floor but the floor was slanted and glass was scattered there. The plates did not have enough friction to climb the slope. He sighed in frustration. _I am the Antolian's leading mechanic and engineer and a simple floor of glass stops me twenty feet from my goal!_ Terru bent over, hands on his knees a growl escaping his throat. The pain of a dislocated shoulder was nothing compared to the pain of seeing freedom so far from you.

Just then a strange thumping sound came to his ears. Something on the outside of the hull… _The Fear! They lived!_ Terru searched for a weapon, but the only thing he could see were plates, utensils and… glass! He grabbed a sizable shard in his hand despite the fact that it cut into his palm he held tight. _Endure the pain and fight the Fear! They will never have this ship!_

"Look Brody, a window! See? I told you there was bound to be an opening somewhere!"

"Well how are we supposed to know alien schematics? Maybe they don't like window seating when all you've got to look at is the blackness of space?"

These voices weren't the Fear… This was…

"This end of the ship is relatively intact, except for that part over there, maybe we can get to it from the inside."

"Help!" Terru called, throwing the shard aside, "Eli Wallace! Help!" the sound of feet paused and rushed forward to the window, "Down here!" Terru let out a yip of delight at seeing those delicate human faces, "I cannot climb this slope do you have rope?"

"Of course!" Eli said, "Man are we glad to see you! We were hoping some of the Antolians survived!"

Terru closed his eyes… _Some… yes, but not all. _

"Are there any more of you down there?" Volker called down.

"Not down here… Deeper in and farther out yes… I was lucky, the chamber I was in during the crash was full of wires, not as pleasant as a pillow mind, but soft enough to keep me alive."

"Man you look like hell," Brody chuckled as the climbed easily down with their rubber boots across the glass.

"Have you heard of 'tact" Brody?" Volker grumbled.

Terru smiled, "It is ok… I would rather have the truth then sympathy… There is no sympathy great enough to comfort this loss…" a tear found its way out of the corner of Terru's eye but he smiled weakly and ignored it, "You must find the others! I can help. You don't happen to have any more of those boots handy do you?"

They didn't, but they used some rope to attach Terru's make-shift shoes to his feet. They crossed the room, heading towards where Terru knew the bridge to be. "_I am coming Jutoi. Destiny has arrived_."


	6. Joining Forces

GYY: I'm glad you asked! However, it's a slightly complicated answer. No, the Antolians are not as advanced as the Ancients technologically, but they have the ability to be. Their society is based on need, and the Antolians are content as they are, so no advancement has been made for nearly one hundred years, and no advancement _will_ be made for another hundred probably. With their connection to the entire race, their like a big super-brain, but a very lethargic one. :)

To SamCarter2 and GeekyJade: Thank you for reviewing ^_^

As a special thanks to all three of you for being the first, I would like to give you a chance to change the story a little bit, you can add a character of your choice to the story. Strange I know, but I work best when things are thrown at me ^_^ (Characters can be from any of the Stargate tv shows or of an alien spieces they've met before). If you accept, great! If you don't want to add a character no harm no foul, enjoy the rest of the story!

ANTOLIAN SHIP

Jutoi was becoming more conscious of the pain now. She could almost see the edge of torn metal digging into her thigh, but was grateful her twisted body forced her to look away.

Nine now. Nine Antolians were left alive, but Jutoi didn't cry. There was no point now, to rescue and survive she needed to think clearly and unemotionally! The sheared metal of the console digging into her leg gave her little lower body movement, but her upper body could move. So she examined her surroundings. To her right lay a large wire, it looked like a power circuit, it was likely that would be live and so it was out of the question. To her back she could almost see another console sparking lightly. In front of her was the hardest to search. Through the wreckage she could see a large brown hand… Captain… Jutoi forced the emotion down and looked. There! A severed console column! If she could just reach it she might be able to life some weight from her leg…

ELI WALLACE

Eli had seen this type of wreck in video games before. That didn't mean he could handle it now! Any time they would pass a fallen Antolian Eli had to fight to keep from hysterics, tears flowed freely from his eyes, he would have been ashamed except that when he looked back he could see Volker leaning over a torn railing for balance as his stomach emptied. At least he wasn't throwing up like Volker. Brody looked pale but otherwise fine, Eli worried only once that he might be in shock, but Brody growled out a complaint as usual and worry dissipated.

"Down this hall should be the door to the br-" Terru stopped mid-sentence. Eli walked around the corner and nearly gave up on the spot. A piece of the enemy ship and sliced through the corridor blocking any access they had to the bridge.

"What now?" Brody asked, "Is there another way?"

"Yes," Terru whispered, "But that way was hit first by the Fear… A fire had spread through that side of the ship before collision… it was blocked off long before you got here."

All four of the men could feel despair sinking in their hearts. Whoever was on the other side was trapped… Eli screamed in frustration and kicked the enemy's piece of blockage. It made him feel slightly better so he did it again, and again. The others didn't stop him in fact they all did their own bit of frustration venting on the large piece of metal. All except Terru.

Terru watched in silence as the Destiny crew struggled against the immovable piece of metal. _What are they doing? There is no point… This wing will never move…_ Then a voice sounded from the radio, "Eli, can you hear me?"

Eli froze out of breath, who was talking? "Eli this is Scot can you hear me?" Scot?

"Yeah I-" Eli pulled up the radio to his mouth, repeating, "Yeah I hear you."

"We've got three survivors out her with Tamara, Greer's and James have gone back to look for more, have you found anyone yet?"

"Just one… Well almost two…" Eli began and gently Terru placed a hand on Eli's shoulder taking the radio from him.

"Lieutenant Matthew Scot, my name is Terru, I am the Antolian Eli has saved… I need your help – you have cutting tools yes?" there was a pause, possibly to confirm that Terru was indeed Antolian. Then Scot gave him the positive answer, "Good. We have an Antolian trapped behind a large piece of enemy ship we'll need those cutting tools, Eli Wallace will return to guide you to where we are."

With that Terru handed the radio to Eli and turned to Volker and Brody, "Let's remove the debris that we can while we're waiting."

It didn't take them long, Eli came rushing back with Scot in tow. Taking the torch to the paneling the three stepped back. It was slow work after that and Terru nearly lost his patience.

"She is hurt behind that wall can your tool cut any faster?" Terru paced.

"Look, a lot of people are hurt, but this torch only goes as fast as it wants to!" Scot sighed.

Then finally the first panel was cut. Next came the wires and the inside of what was the enemy wing. Wires, and a strange green substance were what made up the interior. Fortunately the other side of the wing had a long gash big enough for everyone to fit through, "I'll work on widening this while you four get the Antolian," Scot said while beginning to shear off the edges of the opening."

Terru rushed forward skirting through fallen metal and live wires. There underneath a large fallen console was an unconscious Jutoi. It seemed she had tried to lift it off of her with a long metal shard but the effort had taken too much, or perhaps the pain itself is what knocked her out.

Placing a foot firmly over her body on each side Terru used the good arm he had to lift the twisted metal. It barely moved and Terru fell back gasping for breath. Eli grabbed the piece of metal and nodded to Terru, Volker and Brody jumped to either side of the alien, doing what they could. As the three lifted Eli pushed the piece of metal in further. Bit by bit the console lifted away from Jutoi.

Once free Terru pulled her from the wreckage and wrapped his arms around her, "Foolish sister… You should never have joined this mission…" All four men lay exhausted on the ground. Scot now finished with the opening entered the room.

"Alright guys, reunion over, let's get out of here!"

ON THE GROUND

Lieutenant Johansan studied each alien and dearly hoped they all had similar bio-genetic structures to humans. When Terru arrived she nearly shouted for joy and relief. One was awake, he could help her!

"You!" she called, "What's your name?"

He looked confused at first but answered when he realized she was talking to him, "Terru, First Engineer…"

"Well Engineer, you're a doctor now," she pulled him forward, "Tell me if this wound would have pierced any vital organs."

"The shoulder wound here should be fine, our hearts are located differently than yours, however if this swelling here means internal bleeding the heart may be to blame. You'll need to remove it and tie the veins together."

Johanson nearly fainted, "Do what?"

"Take out the affected heart…" he studied her expression, why was she upset? Then, "Oh! You have only one, we have two! Do not worry Tamara… We can survive with just one heart."

He turned to go but she pulled him back, "I still need you, come on."

Reluctantly Terru followed and helped Johanson with all the Antolians. His grief showed through with hers when they both could not help an Antolian survivor, soon to be victim. Deep inside Terru was beginning to think it would never end. A dark swirl of hatred was forming and he couldn't help but let it grow. Damn the Fear, how could they have forced the Antolian's hand? How did they find them? He would kill every last one of them to stop this from ever happening again. A lot of good men and women died and Terru threw his grief towards the Fear.

JUTOI

Several hours later Jutoi woke inside Destiny. _Five… Me, Terru, Ango, Yuti, and Golk…_ Five survivors, 2,995 dead. All five reached for her thoughts as she reached for them. The healing process would be slow but they had survived. This was more of a victory than any Antolian party had before. She smiled a weak smile. "Lieutenant Johanson…?" she rushed to Jutoi's side, "I am fine… I wanted to say… Thank you," with that Jutoi fell back to sleep with the rest of her crew.

DESTINY

"My God…" was all Colonel Young could say after the report. It took several days to search the rest of the Antolian ship. With Terru and Ango's help they salvaged what they could, but it was a slow process. Every time they had passed one of the crew they would bury it in the field before moving on. Once the salvaging was done they worked on integrating Destiny with the new parts. Eli, Rush, Volker, Brody, and Terru worked on that. It also was slow at first but Jutoi joined in later and the repairs were almost done now. Colonel Young thought the worst part was over until the Antolians told him about the Fear…

"A vicious creature," Jutoi had said, still lying in her bed at the time unable to move due to a torn back muscle, she was heavily sedated, but her body seemed to fight the drug more than humans, "We do not know how they began, only that they live, or rather they exist," she took a steady breath because of the pain then continued, "Living or dead is still a debate among our people… They feed on emotion and pain. There are many planets in this galaxy that used to be thriving and happy planets until the Fear came… If you see them now you'd think they had never supported life… only death. Two Antolian planets fell before we realized how to fight them… by then our people had little left. We have only one planet now, we evacuated the other, and we protect it above all else."

"So if you know how to fight it, why don't you just destroy them?" Tamara had asked.

"Because the only way to fight them is to not let them spawn… They spawn by killing someone who is consumed by Fear… For every such person, several Fear can be born."

COLONEL YOUNG'S QUARTERS

Colonel Young played with his mug as Tamara finished up her update of the Antolian's medical condition, "Ango and Terru are fully healed, simple injuries on their part. Yuti will be in that cast of sorts for some time, her hip was nearly shattered. Golk is handling well enough, but with only one heart he will need to go through some rehab to get used to the minimal blood flow."

"One heart," Colonel Young chuckled, "What would a creature need with two hearts?"

"Maybe you can ask them later," Tamara smiled.

"Just like I have to ask them how to get us off this rock as well as how to get us home… Let's just add biological questions to the list!" Colonel Young huffed. Tamara frowned.

"Well you don't have to, I was just saying we're in this together now, maybe we should learn a bit more about them. If we know them joining forces won't be so difficult…" she paused thinking for a moment then continued, "You know Colonel… you've been acting really strange since you woke up from that cryo-stasis. A bit more on edge than usual… Maybe I should bring you back to the lab and see that nothing's wrong."

"Great, first Rush now you! Lieutenant I'm fine! I'm healthier than ever!" Young stood, "Now if your report is over I'd like to try and get some sleep. Thank you." He practically shoved her out the door and once she was gone he turned away leaning on the desk. _What was that?_ _That wasn't like me… Maybe I should get that-_ Suddenly there was a sharp pain in Everett's leg he choked off the yell before it escaped his lips but the pain sent him to the ground.

It was strange and unnatural. Though he could feel it, the pain was not his. He knew it came from somewhere else. Someone else on this ship! In that moment a distinctly female voice entered his mind… _damn this leg! …. _A pause, and Colonel Young could swear someone was looking at him, _You should not be here…_ Then he blacked out.


	7. Take me to Your Leader

SamCarter2: *grin* I like your thinking, but I won't reveal my choice of your two options yet. None-the-less, I hope you enjoy the next chapter (chapter 8) it should be up tomorrow or the day after.

GeekyJade: Good choice! Look out, I may even name one after you ;) expect to see them soon.

GYY: Thank you :) I'm glad someone, other than me, enjoys this story as much as I do ^_^

It's a long one guys, grab your favorite snack and most comfortable chair. I hope you enjoy the ride!

SIX WEEKS LATER

Jutoi was not happy, but things couldn't really get much worse, right? Young was still connected to the Antolians. Fortunately it wasn't strong enough to hurt him too badly, a few lessons of mental control and he'd live a normal life… probably. Jutoi had coerced him back into consciousness luckily before Tamara found him… If she knew Everett was still under the influence of alien DNA she would focus on him, but Jutoi needed her with Yuti and Golk for now…

Next. Only five Antolians lived, and of them two would probably never be the same. Golk lost a heart, and Yuti was paralyzed from the waist down. Three… Where were the Fear?

"Didn't I say don't touch anything?" Rush yelled as he snatched the pliers away from Eli, breaking Jutoi's thoughts.

"You said don't break anything! Not 'don't touch'. I am fully capable of handling this system as much as you! I know when it'll break!" Eli pulled the pliers back from Rush.

"Boys!" Jutoi called, "Relax. You don't need to get into the wiring system anyway, stop fighting and put those pliers down," when neither seemed to be willing to step down she growled, something that always seemed to get the attention of the Destiny crew. Though a growl in Antolia was a sign of welcome, to them it sounded like their native animal they called a dog, it must be a very frightening creature…. She smiled happily as they both stepped away.

"Now both of you come here," she said, and limped over to a console currently being interfaced with Antolian technology. Her leg still bothered a little, just as Golk still complained about his lost heart, but it had healed nicely in these past few weeks and it seemed she would be running down the field with the rest of the crew in days.

Terru already sat at the purple and copper console, he knew what Jutoi was going to show them, "This here boys, is the communication system. The Antolians do not use this system unless they meet an alien ship, but for you… well," he chuckled, "I'm sure it'll be the most important system here!" Pulling down a program from the top left of the console screen Terru continued, "This here is something you two should recognize."

There was a pause and Eli smiled. This was how life had been and probably would be for some time. The Antolians were great teachers and Terru was the best of the mechanical engineering teachers. He would show his student, whoever it was, a program or operation then after saying only a few words stop and wait for the student to fill in the rest. If the student was wrong Terru would smile politely and say, "Actually that would cause the air filtration system to back up, this is how you would clear that" or "You're close, but really the answer to that kind of problem is to close this system here". If the student was right he'd beam as if thoroughly pleased you knew what he was going to say and then continue on with explaining the program or machinery.

"That's the translator you told us about earlier," Rush mused, "But it's modified."

Terru beamed, "I've changed a few specs on it. It's more user friendly so-to-speak, and it's been tied into the scanning system we upgraded last week. Now when you scan, this translator will re-write alien dialect for you and give you the translation on the screen!"

"This is so cool!" Eli cooed, playing with the different variances on the screen.

"Jutoi, could you report to my quarters as soon as possible, thank you," Young's voice called over the Antolian installed intercom. Jutoi's ears fell back. She had been helping in secret for the past six weeks to try to keep the Antolian mind at bay and one of their "sessions" was about to begin but he would never call for her over the intercom like that for one. That was the _point_ of "secret"… So what was he calling her for?

Eli and Rush seemed to be on a similar brain-pattern because they both seemed incredibly confused as she quietly turned and left walking down the familiar halls. The repairs the Antolians had made were none too short of a miracle for Destiny. She had been in sore shape when the Antolians found her. A true bio-dome was back in order already a few sprouts could be seen peeking out of the soil as Jutoi passed. Destiny's life support sported a more efficient converter. Carbon monoxide would be exchanged for oxygen at a faster rate and need less scrubbing of the filters over time.

She turned into the new, yet old, residential halls. They had been found when access to this part of the ship was finally opened up and explored. Jutoi limped to the Colonel's assigned door and knocked three times. The door opened and Colonel Young stepped out gently taking Jutoi's shoulder and leading her away, "Sorry to call you like that…"

"I do not understand…" Jutoi looked down at the Colonel, she stood almost two heads taller than him.

"My superiors on Earth would like to talk with you. But I didn't want the crew to know that we were talking with Earth yet so that's why I called you here first."

"I see…" she didn't. Why would the Colonel not want to tell his own people that he was using the communication stones again? She supposed it was not her place and let it go with a twitch of her tail.

Turning the last corner and entering the room Jutoi found no one sitting next to the stone's pad. Wouldn't someone be switching with their leader to talk with her? Then the idea hit Jutoi hard, _she_ was going to switch consciousness with a human to speak with their leader! _Beware my conscience I may not be myself for a few hours._ She warned her people. They were confused until she showed them the communication stones then they reluctantly nodded their heads. Terru alone was eager for the transfer. A new bit of technology always made him happy. Jutoi smiled.

Picking up one of the stones as Young instructed Jutoi placed it on the flat top. A strange sensation ran through her body, like flying without gravity, and in the blink of an eye it was over. She turned her head to look at Young only to find he was no longer there. In his place stood a very tan human with a round, yet pointed face. His shirt read Telford.

"Hello Jutoi, my name is Colonel Telford. Welcome to Earth."

If she had not been expecting this Jutoi would have jumped from her chair then and tried to escape. But, as she was she was afraid to move. She could no longer feel her tail and she felt smaller, more delicate than normal. Looking down at her hands her single heart began to beat faster. _Pink I am pink!_ Jutoi looked into a mirror sitting on the table next to her with a gasp. Brown hair, soft brown eyes and round cheeks, pudgy nose and a small mouth made up the features on her face. The badge on her uniform said "Bells".

"It may be hard to get used to at first," Telford informed her calmly, "But you are in a human body. Talking and moving may not come naturally at first but-"

"I can talk and move just fine David," she said, not looking in his direction, only studying the strange face that was now hers. Though she could not read his thoughts she felt almost instinctively the tensing motion from Colonel Telford.

"Young said you'd picked up a few of his memories."

"Only the most important ones," Jutoi said finally turning to him. It seemed that comment made him happy because he smiled a little, "Now…" she stood, wavering for a moment at the unbalance without her tail,Telford tried to help but she waved him off with a, "I'm fine… Now take me to you leader."

There was a pause and then they both laughed, "Of course," Telford led her away.

DESTINY

Sergeant Bells was nowhere near prepared for something like this! She knew the communication stones allowed humans to switch mentally with other humans but to switch into an alien was absurd. She didn't like this! A tail? She had a tail? Jumping to her feet she realized she had more balance than she had ever had in her life, but the tail was unnatural! It whipped back and forth with her emotions. Then as her heart began racing another shocking revelation came to her… _Two hearts! _

They both raced and then nearly froze as, "_Yes that's right Lucia, two hearts, how does it feel?_" sounded in her head, "What the fu-"

"Sergeant please!" Young grabbed her shoulders. Young was too small, this alien body was too large! Everything was unnatural! "Just relax, you are in an alien body and it'll feel different but it is not going to hurt you," Young continued trying to sooth her.

"I was told it would-" Bells paused only for a moment surprised that the alien could speak with such a long snout, "be an alien body sir… I just don't think anyone can be prepared for this…" _That's right, _the voice sounded, _Colonel Young tried to connect with us, and it nearly killed him! Your brain is not equipped yet but do not worry, having Jutoi's brain you should be fine. _

Then another voice joined, _Terru, would you shut up, you'll scare the girl into damaging Jutoi's body and she'll knock you silly for that!_

_I just want to learn Ango,_ Terru complained playfully. With a sigh of relief though, both voices ceased and she nearly fainted, "Are these voices in her head normal? Or have I gone crazy sir?"

Young looked surprised by the comment only for a second then smiled, "Yes, this alien species is particularly gifted with a mental link with all her people."

_All her people?_ Lucia thought? Then something occurred to her… there were five presences she could feel but… more far in the distance! She focused on those in the distance, her body began to react. Her heart raced, her body began to sweat and her muscles weakened.

_Stop! _The one called Terru called nervously, _Stop if you try to reach the Collective at such a distance you'll kill yourself, you don't have the energy!_ What was he talking about? She was only trying to figure out who the people in the distance were! Then a massive headache spread from Lucia's forehead to the back of her skull. Pain! It was too much to handle! _STOP!_ Terru called again, _Look for me! I'm closer, you will kill yourself otherwise! Look!_ She looked, then fainted.

EARTH

"So you're the alien," O'Neill mused, "Welcome to Earth."

Jutoi paid no attention to O'Neill she examine every hall they passed with the human eyes, "This is fascinating!" she said enthusiasm bubbling in every word, "You are a colonizing people! Your weapons show force as an option but your technology allows for a peaceful approach! I knew Colonel Young had pride for his people and their military tactics but now the pride is mine… I know you cannot show me much but please… I would like to see your hospital, Tamara has told me much about them, and Colonel Young's memory of them is very broken."

O'Neill thought for a moment then agreed, "Right this way," he took her shoulder and lead her, "I'm glad we've impressed you, but there is a more important topic at hand… When we're done with the hospital I would like to ask you a few questions…"

Jutoi frowned at the drawbacks of not having a mental connection with this human; she could not guess what questions he had for her! _Ugh! If I could have just one clue!_ "Of course sir…"

The hospital was clean and very fascinating. The doctors were patient and answered her questions about the medical field of study but they seemed very nervous when she began picking up tools of their trade, particularly one called a "scalpel". It was at that point O'Neill pulled her aside, saying goodbye to the relieved looking doctors.

"One day I hope you trust me enough to see your labs of study," Jutoi smiled following O'Neill to what she assumed would be his office, but she was only slightly wrong, it was a room adjacent.

"One day I hope we see yours as well."

Jutoi stopped. There was more than just O'Neill. Several faces Jutoi could recognize from Young's memories but there were also several others that she didn't. Introductions were given, the ones she recognized were, Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, and Rodney Mckay. The others were part of something called the IOA as well as others from different sections of the government Jutoi couldn't recognize through Young's memory.

Before any questions were asked Jutoi listed each scientist's field of study and their contributions to the Stargate program in her head, and then something seemed to click, "You want to know about my technology…"

"Or take you out for coffee, but I like your idea too," O'Neill joked, "Straight to the point, isn't she?" he asked the one called Daniel.

"Why are you humans so interested? Can you not advance for yourselves?" Jutoi was willing to give out the required information, but she smiled at her devious plan to learn more first.

"Of course we can," Daniel Jackson defended, "It's just that we have some enemies that won't exactly give us time to do that."

"Your enemies are great, I've seen them… but your defenses have and will keep them at bay it seems… why do you need mine?" Jutoi calmly walked into the room and regally sat down in the chair at the end of the table. Judging by their expressions her show of confidence worked. It must have been O'Neill's because he reluctantly moved to sit in a seat next to Daniel.

"Well we don't," Daniel again, but the others seemed to disagree by the sudden tension passing through the group. Odd, though Jutoi was in a human body it still seemed that they could sense the emotional standing of the people in the room.

"You see," Daniel continued, ignoring the group's response, "We can handle ourselves, but as a child learns from experience, so do we. We have talked to, and learned from other races and that's how we came to have the defenses that we do."

"It's a trade-like situation. We won't be asking you for information without giving you some in return," Sam Carter spoke with a smile. Jutoi liked these two they were honest people, if this was what the entire human race was like, her people would like them very much!

"What will you trade in return for…?" Jutoi realized she didn't know what technology they were asking for!

"Basically we want to know how advanced you are first, Young has told us a little of your energy and efficiency technologies. Like your air filtration system, or your power relays," Daniel said. He was confident like she, perhaps he'd caught on that she was simply bartering for the best possible outcome.

"Aaand," O'Neill put in, "If there was any possible way, you know if it's not too much trouble… could you kindly help us get our people home?" Jutoi laughed, the comment was directed at Daniel, apparently he had forgotten to add that in.

"So… what is it _you_ want?" a member of the group she could not recognize, asked.

Jutoi thought for a long moment, what is it her people would benefit most from, their defense systems? Yes, but human defenses would combat the enemies in this galaxy and would not be guaranteed to work against the Fear. Their weapons? She was not sure if her people would want to meddle with such dangerous things...

"My people," she began slowly, thinking still, "Are a content species… We have lived as we have for hundreds of years… and it is likely we will live for hundreds more. Advancements in technology are rewarded, but not needed. Our only enemy has been kept at bay with necessary advances, but…" she paused. The idea came to her and she smiled, wide, "'At bay' has left my people shivering in a corner! I want you to help us fight!"

The group all seemed to darken at that, "We can't exactly fly a fleet 60 or so galaxy away… It would take a thousand years…"

"No, no…" she said, waving her hand, "If even one of your fleet would perish it would only cause more problems. I need your minds…"

"Our minds?" Carter studied Jutoi's expression carefully.

"So far you are the only species beyond the Nappers that are advanced enough to understand the complexities of Fear, and my people will never work with the Nappers, they are too aggressive. And, they have only one passion, Destiny, and we would not let them tear that beautiful ship apart, not until she completes her journey," she sped through hoping they would help her race break free from this Fear.

O'Neill held up his hands, "Woah… slow down, now explain. Nappers? Fear? What are your people afraid of?"

"Not just fear, _The_ Fear… An alien race that lives and dies by feeding on strong negative emotions. Nappers, a blue alien race who kidnap species across the galaxy to study and torture all for the sake of science, or to capture Destiny, the greatest advancement they have ever seen. In return for your help, I will get your people home," Jutoi smiled, in fact it was already almost done. Terru should have finished by now…

There was a bit of debate but the answer was clear, "Deal!" O'Neill said shaking my hand.


	8. The Fear Returns

Phew, this was a hard one to write I'm not a super-nerd by any means, and I hope you don't shoot me for not being one and yet being a huge fan of Stargate! However, there are some scientific happenings in here that may be _less_ than credible. I ask that you ignore them and pretend it's super smart stuff with actual scientific reality and physics to it. Haha

DESTINY

Jutoi returned to darkness and a throbbing ache in her head. _Terru… what did you do?_

_Me? Aw sis, I'm not that awful am I?_

_What happened? _she said slowly opening her eyes to Destiny's hospital wing. The lights were dimmed probably due to a lack of sick people, excepting her of course.

_The mind you switched with tried to contact Pandora… _If Terru were speaking normally it would have been a mumble, but the thought spoken in the mind was clear yet worried. She could also feel a restrained excitement.

_What?_ The question was asked but Jutoi already knew the answer.

_You've got to tell me what it was like! Being human!_ All excitement seemed to bubble over and a slew of questions fell from his thoughts like a waterfall. She mentally held up a wall before they finally stopped. Instead of describing each detail with a clear thought Jutoi showed him her memory. _I wish I was in your place!_ He groaned. _It would have been very informational. I would have tested a lot more of their capabilities!_

_Terru… shut up. I've got lessons with Everett, and you're keeping me from that. _Sitting up now, Jutoi stretched her limbs, _her_ limbs, not human limbs. Man it felt good to be back in her own body!

_By the way sis… Seeing as you're seeing Everett right now… I suggest you tell him to pack his bags,_ if a thought could grin this one would be, _I've got the key! They can go home!_

They can go home… _Not only them, but us as well!_

Jutoi turned the corner into Colonel Young's quarters. _I can't wait to tell him!_ Then as her hand hovered above the door opening mechanism alarms began to sound. At first Jutoi wasn't sure what to do… these past six weeks had been completely peaceful and the sound of alarms seemed foreign somehow.

Young's door swished open and he took Jutoi's hand turning her towards the bridge, "Those are you proximity alarms deary, I believe we've got some visitors."

DESTINY BRIDGE

Eli pulled up the centipede-like ship on the view screen with dread. Now that their systems were upgraded he knew who they were and how fast they were moving. The Fear… they had come back to finish the job! "Rush! Have we got any of the weapons systems online?"

"As we speak, but I don't believe, even with the advancements we've got that Destiny will-"

"We have no choice! If they come after us, we're still sitting ducks" Eli ran to the secondary weapons console and prepared for battle, a sinking feeling in his heart told him that no amount of Warcraft could have prepared him for this though.

"No we're not," Terru huffed, entering the bridge followed by the ever-silent, Ango, "Have they begun to move towards us?"

"Not yet," Eli clicked a few buttons and the weapons on his side were ready and aimed.

"Then if we are silent, we may be lucky. However, just this morning I installed the grounding thrusters. They will work only once, but it should be enough…" Terru watched Ango step up to the flight controls.

"That's impossible, how did you do that in one morning?" Rush asked.

"I didn't," Terru stated matter-of-fact, "I've woken up every morning since the crash and worked on installing each piece until you woke up. Humans sleep a very long time…"

Eli smiled, and Rush grumbled something under his breath but accepted the answer, "So why don't we just fly away right now?" Eli asked.

"To begin with," Jutoi announced as she entered, "it would alert them to our presence… secondly we would be forcing ourselves into a battle for hyperspace. They can track any hyperspace ship as long as they knew the entry point. So until this enemy is passed we cannot do a thing…" Colonel Young entered sitting in the command chair with Jutoi at his side watching the view screen.

Jutoi's tail twitched nervously, if the Fear came it would be a hard battle… but why this planet? Why return here? How did they find the Antolians the first time and how did they come to this planet the second time? What brought them here and why?

"Come on you little pieces of shit"

"Terru…" Jutoi warned, "Anger is not a proper response…"

"Proper? I don't care! These things murdered our family! I want them to die!" Terru's eyes were wild and his nails dug into the console he was holding. Jutoi became nervous… Terru wasn't a vindictive personality! "Come on Fear… I dare ya… Come on and finish the job you started!"

"Terru! Stop, you're not thinking straight!"

"Sir! The ship has changed course! They're heading back our way!" Eli's voice nearly broke with Fear and Jutoi realized… _It was not the Antolians the Fear were after… The humans had been terrified of me when I first arrived, and terrified of the failing ship! It must have called the Fear to them. But this time… it was not fear that called them…_ Jutoi looked to Terru and he frowned.

_It couldn't have been me…_

_Not just you… all of us, our grief and anger has called the Fear back…_

_How is that possible? How could they possibly feel our Anger over billions of miles of space?_

"Subspace deary."

Jutoi and Terru froze. It was a female voice and it did not belong to the crew. Frantically they looked around who had heard their talk? Then the room seemed to be on fire. The crew jumped away from their consoles and watched as the flames engulfed the forward part of the bridge.

"I can feel you writhing in that dark pit across lightyears, Antolian," the flame spoke, "and I'm so delighted that you led me to the only humans in this galaxy!"

_She knew about the humans? _Jutoi frowned, what was going on? The flames had stopped advancing but they burned brighter and brighter until the crew had to look away, then the light seemed to fade. Everyone could feel a new presence in the room. It was uncomfortable and angry…

"I have waited a long time for you but I thought it would take much longer than this… I suppose unlocking the secrets of our ninth chevron wasn't too much for you, I should have expected it."

Young turned his eyes back towards the wall of flame, there standing in all her glory was what clearly looked like a human woman! That was impossible though, then what she had said clicked and understanding dawned, "You died… Daniel Jackson killed you…"

The Ori woman suddenly seemed angry, "No! Daniel Jackson did not murder me! He murdered my mother!" the flames grew brighter and advanced further up the ship, "She sent me away as soon as she realized what you worms were trying to do! I was so alone and it was all because of you… humans," the word was a curse to her.

The crew was immobile, the only one who seemed confused was Eli, having never met the Ori, "Who are you?" he asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"My name is Irene and my mother was the Goddess of the Ori… the most powerful being in all the galaxies! And I am following her legacy… Only I found a more efficient way to do it."

"The Fear," Jutoi realized, "The Fear are your allies!"

This made Irene laugh, "No silly beast… I _am_ the Fear! With each death I have grown stronger and now… I am the Goddess of the Universe… just like my mother. Fear of itself is a form of worship and when you die in that _worship_ your essence joins mine…"

Jutoi's hearts raced. Not the Fear… Ori, seemingly human aliens, but enemy to the humans… Jutoi wanted to curl into a ball and escape. The Fear was human, a different kind of human, but human all the same. How could she have trusted them?

"Now, you humans will die and my mother will be so proud of me! Earth is next mother," she called to the heavens, "I will finish what you started!" With that Irene was gone, her flames as well.

The computer's sensor began to beep but everyone knew what it meant without looking… The Fear, no, Irene was going to crash into Destiny and kill everyone on board.

Colonel Young snapped into action, "Terru! Can we get this thing in the air?" he moved towards the large grey Antolian.

"Yes… and no…" Terru looked down at the console; _it's all my fault…_

"Well which is it!" Young grabbed his shoulder snapping Terru out of his stupor, "We have five minutes to save this crew and we better damn well be doing all we can! I'm not gonna let some bastard-child of an ancient diva kill us after all we've been through!"

Jutoi looked up, _ancient… _the name sounded familiar…

"Yes, she can fly Everett… but she does not have the time now. When I installed the thrusters I didn't plan for them to be used as escape… When we get her in the air, she will barely be able to move forward before the Fe- I mean Irene, is in range… However…." Terru looked to Jutoi, "There is another option."

"What is it?"

Terru took a breath, "We can send-"

"-You to another planet!" Jutoi interrupted, _We do not have the power to send them home…_

"What?" Young turned his head, not understanding. Terru ignored him, _the Destiny would be lost and then they'd have no chance of going home!_

_You'd risk their lives? _Jutoi.

_You'd risk their freedom? _Terru.

_You brought Irene here! The least you could do is save their lives!_

_You had me spend my time on the wormhole rather than the flight system! It's only right that we use it before the end!_

"HEY!" Young shouted grabbing their chins and forcing them to look at him, "Four minutes!" he warned. Terru jumped into action, _I am opening the wormhole to Earth._

Jutoi threw her hands in the air, _then you will kill them all… the power from our ship's core will not be enough unless it is fully charged!_

Then, an idea hit Terru like a shockwave, _You underestimate me sister… There is a third source of power!_ An image of the incoming ship crossed her mind.

…_. You're insane… _but she didn't stop him, she knew it could work. If he could blast a hole in Irene's ship big enough to shoot a gravity beam into, then they could use the connection to draw power from her ship like an outlet! Jutoi pushed Eli away from the weapons console, "Young, get your people to the gate room!" he seemed to hesitate then she shouted, "NOW!" with all the force she could muster.

_That leaves us here… _Terru didn't look at Jutoi and she didn't look at him.

_I know… But Golk, Ango, and Yuti will be with the humans… they can carry on our memories._ There was a complaint from Golk but Jutoi stopped him, _Don't make me order you… please…_ Reluctantly the three joined the humans.

_Ready? _Terru asked.

_Yes… _Jutoi hid her tears from Terru and she fired a perfect hit into Irene's hull. She jumped to the next console and aimed the beam.

GATE ROOM

"Sixth chevron…" Eli announced shakily, everyone could hear the oncoming ship, "Seventh chevron…?" The ring swirled around and around. Where were they going? Terru and Jutoi didn't say, "Eighth…!" electricity began to spark all around the room making the crew jump but the gate continued to swirl. Eli shook his head… It should have stopped at seven, yet it was dialing a ninth… were they going home?

COLONEL YOUNG

"Sir," Scott grabbed onto the Colonel's shoulder, "I've counted the crew, and I can't find Rush."

Young examined the gate room and cursed, "Let him stay on his stupid ship…" Young shook his head, though he said that he knew what he was going to do. He looked at Scott seeking unspoken loyalties there. Scott frowned, grabbed his shoulder and firmly nodded his head.

"I would follow you to hell and back sir…"

BRIDGE

"Contact!" Jutoi screamed with delight, the smallest of victories that would enable the larger victory.

"Good, now if I were you, I'd start to put any remaining power to the shields," Terru turned around.

"Rush?"

"That's right… you didn't think I'd run away now did you? Not when my Destiny is about to be destroyed," Rush smiled at the double-meaning. Without listening to their complaints he went to work helping Terru then frowned. Earth? He shook his head, _too late now!_

"Shield Power at maximum!" Rush announced. A spark shot from Rush's console hitting him in the shoulder. He screamed and fell against the wall.

"Shields down!" Jutoi called and looked back to see Young rushing him, helping Rush to his feet. Jutoi hissed, "Is _anyone_ going to go through the wormhole?"

"I can't let my crew die without me."

"How very noble, Young," Rush groaned, incredibly dazed, yet comprehending Young's presence.

"Wormhole stable…" Terru said as he dropped his hands from the console. It was done. The crew would be safe back on earth and Irene would have lost.

"Then it's over," Young stated.

Jutoi and Terru crossed the deck, placing their hands on each other's shoulders, the Antolian form of a hug. Rush and Young simply nodded to each other. Knowing there was nothing more to say. Then there was nothing… All went white.

GATE ROOM

Eli, Scott and Greer, watched Tamara jump through, next would be Eli but as he stepped up time seemed to slow and the Stargate glowed a brilliant white. Scott, in slow motion moved forward to push Eli through but the white from the gate grew in intensity and both he and Greer lifted their hands to block the light from their eyes. A warm feeling overcame the trio and there was nothing but that, and the whiteness.

((((I know this is the most horrible time to go on a hiatus, but I'm heading out on a vacation of sorts and I may not post another chapter for a few days. Forgive me! (runs away before you start throwing your rotten tomatoes) However, if you're bored and know about the TV show H2O Check out my new fanfic "H2O Deep Blue Kingdom"


	9. The Crystal Eden

After looking back on my previous chapters I have realized a small oversight that I can't stand. I named the Antolian home world Pandora. However, this has too many similarities to Avatar when they Antolians are in many ways too different from the Navi, instead of changing my aliens and putting this in the crossover section, I will be changing the name of the homeworld. Instead of Pandora, it will be called Azul.

UNKNOWN

_Colonel Young, Eli, Scott, Greer and Rush _

Colonel Young opened his eyes slowly, the light was duller now, but it had been blinding a moment ago… and so warm! When he realized he was lying down he tried to sit up, hitting his head against something solid. Examining his minimal surroundings he realized he was encased in a crystal box! Scared now, he began to beat at the edges, shouting. _Someone hear me!_ He begged silently, and then he began to shout and pound again. What had happened to Destiny? What had happened to the crew?

Greer had a similar reaction however, a little more severe. Greer didn't like small spaces and this one made him fell like he was suffocating! Blood was dripping from his knuckles before something happened. A strange, familiar light shone above his head and he relaxed. A mist sprayed across his knuckles and the blood and wound disappeared. A fear began to rise in Greer then, not from the enclosed space, but the technology he was seeing. Whoever had him confined was more advanced then Earth or the Antolians, how far, he was not sure. However, the more important question was; Were they dangerous?

Scott was frightened but he forced himself to stay calm. He could hear shouting though, it seemed miles away but he could tell it was Colonel Young! "I'm here! I'm in here!" he tried calling back, but it seemed to have no effect… maybe this crystal box was too thick, maybe it was soundproof? His heart began to beat a little faster, was he dead? _No_, he thought as he elbowed the crystal wall, feeling pain. This is definitely real life… but then, who said you couldn't feel pain in heaven?

Eli didn't scream and didn't move. He was dead, that had to be it. He was dead and this was heaven, this was it. Maybe this was an in-between state. They had to prepare you for heaven perhaps. Who knows, but this was definitely heaven and he was dead… Damn! Why couldn't the aliens have waited just two more seconds he was almost home! Earth… what was the crew doing right now? Did they try going back to Destiny? No… they didn't have the energy possible… Destiny would sit in her crushed remains of a burial site for eternity, the mission was over. Strangely Eli began to cry then. He hadn't realized how much he loved that old bucket… and he was never going back.

Rush knew it was alien. This crystalline box was definitely foreign and obviously meant as a medical encasement. The strange slots he could feel, but couldn't maneuver to see, on the sides had to be openings for mechanical hands to apply their medicine. Rush knew it was alien, but what he didn't know was… which alien. The blue aliens that had captured him before didn't use crystal like this. They had kept him inside a blue tube of water, examining him, why hadn't they done that this time?

Outside the five crystal pods five aliens watched, when all five humans were awake they each touched a round green light on the sides of the pod. Slowly each pod let in a soft pulse of air, and pulled its cover back into the wall. All five men sat up looking to one another then to the strange blue-crystal aliens at their sides. They were all dressed in white, the humans and the aliens. Short broad and shaped much like an upright turtle everyone knew these aliens were not dangerous. Six limbs in all and no weapons: not dangerous… So far.

"Where are we?" was Young's first question, he hoped that these aliens understood English.

In answer the alien next to Young pointed to the wall where an image of a planet appeared. The image zoomed out. It continued to zoom faster and farther than Young thought possible, but it finally ended on the planet they had come from, where Destiny had landed.

"That's pretty damn far," Rush spoke, testing his feet and standing up.

"But we're still in the same galaxy, right?" Eli asked, realizing for the first time that he was not actually dead.

"Looks like it math boy," Greer nodded, standing as well.

"So then the next important question is… How'd we get here?" Scott walked to the wall with the image and after a moments examination turned back to the blue crystal aliens. The blue creatures looked to one another and shook their heads, "You don't know, or you can't tell us?" one of the blue aliens lifted one of its six arms and held up two of its 8 fingers, "The second one," Scott guessed. The alien nodded.

"Well find a way to tell us," Rush grumbled impatiently. He was examining his surroundings. He could find out nothing about these new aliens.

Eli was examining the imagery wall when it hit Young that Eli was there, "Where's the crew?" he immediately asked jumping to his feet with worry.

Eli turned to look at him, a mixture of excitement and sadness, "Hopefully… Earth."

_What?_ Young wasn't expecting that answer. Earth? Jutoi said they were taking them to another planet, why wouldn't she say it was earth? Was there not enough time to explain? "… How?" Young asked.

Eli crossed his arms in thought, "I remember stepping in on Terru when he was working on something… it looked like a schematic for their own engine. No, actually, it looked more like a blueprint… anyway, it was their engine and he mentioned something about the universe's largest battery when I asked what it was. I assumed it had something to do with upgrading our own systems… but in hindsight he wouldn't need blueprints of his own engine to do that! It must have been the power source the gate needed… it worked beautifully…"

Young had mixed feelings. He could have gone home! It would have been so easy… He wasn't needed on that deck! He could be back on Earth making a new life, eating greasy pizza and normal food. But, the mission was not over.

"Well… it can be done," Young nodded, _the past is gone we can only move forward from here._

"That's right Young," a familiar female voice called from the doorway and the five men turned their heads in surprise, though they shouldn't have been; why should they be saved and not the Antolians?

"Jutoi!" Eli shouted and ran to her with a hug.

She laughed, "And Terru," he peeked out from the doorway that was too small for one of their large bodies, let alone two. The four others stood as well to welcome them. Jutoi held up her hands to stop conversation. She stepped forward with her brother into the medical room. The blue crystal aliens stood the whole time without a word looking more like statues every minute.

"First," Jutoi sat down on an empty bed, "Second… I am sorry for not telling you sooner about Earth Colonel Young…"

Young nodded, accepting the apology though there was none really needed, "As I understand it… you saved my crew."

"Not all of them," Jutoi looked to Eli, Greer, and Scott, "I told Terru there was not enough time," she growled looking at Terru who stood a short distance away.

"And I keep telling you sis, I was right to give them their last chance to get home. If not for the Gemine their ship _would_ have been destroyed, and everyone one it!"

"And I'm telling you, if we had put our efforts into avoiding the collision and less power to the gate we might have gotten the ship out without the Gemine help!"

"Woah, woah," Scott held up his hands, "You guys might want to explain a little to us humans here…"

Terru smiled, "Of course. These aliens you see are called the Gemine. Long ago the Antolians and the Gemine were allies. Most of our technologies were derived from information they had told us. The Gemine are like our parents if you will."

"When the Fear came to our galaxy it decimated both of our military!" Jutoi continued, "When it moved to the destruction of planets, especially planets with stargates, we looked for inhabitable planets without them… In the end there were none so the Gemine made a planet for us!"

"What?" they all asked in unison, with varying degrees of surprise. Terru laughed.

"The Gemine have the means to re-create the conditions necessary for a livable planet. We called it Azul, and that is where we have lived for years," Terru grinned. He thought it was fun to gauge the reactions of each human. Young was thoughtful, Eli was astonished, Rush seemed pleased with something, and Scot and Greer both seemed curious.

"Soon after helping us settle on Azul, the Gemine left and we haven't seen them since, until just yesterday when they saved us from Irene," Jutoi concluded.

"How?" Young asked, hoping Jutoi could tell them. How had an alien species transported them across the galaxy and why?

"They only tell us that it is called 'Infinite warp' they will not tell us more for fear that we would be getting ahead of ourselves, which the Antolians respect."

"How did they know we were in trouble then?" Rush asked with a smile.

"There is an obelisk that they use to keep tabs on planets they-"

"Obelisk!" Eli shouted, "Then it is them!" He turned to Rush with a smile. Rush nodded.

"We've been on a Gemine planet before…" Rush explained. Jutoi searched in Young's memories for the familiar obelisk and laughed, "So you have!" The five Gemine in the room nodded and pointed to the wall, it showed an image of the Destiny crew left behind on the Gemine planet. Then, the Gemine unexpectedly bowed to Young, "They say they are sorry Colonel Young. They could not stop the natural destiny they had chosen. It is a moral code of theirs."

"I understand," Young offered, "But can I ask… Why save us then?"

Jutoi translated the strange hums escaping the Gemine mouth that Young now understood to be language, "They say that Irene is not natural and that it was not a chosen destiny, it was a forced one… As well as," Jutoi laughed.

"What?" Young turned his head. Why was she laughing?

"Well Young… they think Irene is a bitch… that would be the closest translation in your tongue." The whole crew laughed and agreed.

"Now, they want us to go for a walk. They have a surprise for us when we get back… They won't tell me what it is," she huffed in frustration but smiled in acceptance.

The city was beautiful! Everything seemed to be made of some crystal or another. Every word out of their mouths rang and echoed back like music. When they reached the open air they found that they were standing on the edge of a cliff. The Gemine structures fed deep into the ground and the cliff side was their ocean-view terrace.

Jutoi led them to the surface where a lush jungle extended as far as the eye could see. Eli surmised to the others that the crystal complex extended the entire planet but the jungle was left untouched. Jutoi and Terru fell into a more comfortable state. This was their terrain, the jungle. After a moment of walking Terru playfully pushed Jutoi down a hill, she sprang to her feet and ran back up it tackling him to the ground.

Young and the crew laughed and egged them on until finally Jutoi and Terru turned on them! Rush and Young were the only two to step aside and let the "children" play.

"It's been a long time since we've actually had the time to enjoy ourselves on a planet…" Rush commented walking ahead of the tumbling mass of arms, legs, and tails.

"It's nice…" Young sighed.

"But it's not home," Rush guessed the meaning of the sigh.

"No…" Young picked up a strange flower and turned it in his fingers, "We've been out here for nearly five years now… I think… God! I don't even know how long we've been out here!"

"Does it matter Young? We've been gone a long time and everyone wanted to go home."

"Except you…" Young raised an eyebrow, "I believe you were the first to ditch the Gateroom for the Antolians."

"Yes…" Rush paused, "But that doesn't mean I don't want to go home…" They fell silent at that point and Jutoi caught up to them.

"It's about time to return to the Crystal City," she said, her tail swishing happily. They followed her back down the corridors and doorways, not to the medical room, but to a larger room. It looked like the equivalent of a conference room complete with crystal chairs and table. Was everything made of crystal?

Eli chose to sit at the head of the table. He wiggled in the chair, testing how comfortable it was. He seemed content and then chuckled. Changing his posture and acting very authoritarian he said, "I bet you're wondering why I've called this meeting… you see, due to financial difficulties, I'm going to have to let one of you go."

"Don't make me hurt you Eli," Greer laughed, "Get out of the chair, for all you know you could be sitting on a Gemine!" everyone chuckled.

"On the contrary Sergeant Greer, our crystal forms look nothing like that," a female voice called from the door. Everyone turned. To their surprise instead of the crystalline turtle shape they expected, two human bodies filled the doorway, one female one male.

The male spoke next, "Hello. My name is Sapphire, I am the third vizier of the Gemine and I welcome you to our city. This here is our head technician, her name is Jade."


	10. The New Recruit

GEMINE CITY

"But you're human!" Eli protested.

Jade laughed, "We can create livable planets and you don't think we can manage simple organic life?"

Eli blushed. Jade was very beautiful and now she was teasing him, it sent butterflies in his stomach, "I was only saying… Well that is, you're not… organic – and now you are I just thought…"

Jade saved him the embarrassment, "We are still crystal," reaching up she began to unzip her shirt careful to keep the top pinched together, she knew the reaction that sight would leave on the men despite being an alien. The men stared in surprise, _what was she doing?_ Once the opening reached her belly their mouths opened again in surprise. At first it was soft pale skin but when she flexed her stomach muscles it became a transparent material, showing a small cluster of crystals inside her.

"We used the human Genome too create these organic shells controlled by our crystal," Sapphire explained, "If we were to talk with you we would need them. It's unfortunate that our true selves don't have the capabilities to form your language or we would have contacted you long ago."

Rush stepped forward to Jade, "May I?" he asked pointing to her flexed belly, she nodded. Gently touching the clear surface he smiled, "Warm… pliable like skin… Slightly charged with electricity, you can feel it spark now and again! This is fantastic! This is far beyond me… Can you tell me how it works?"

"No," Jade said with conviction and zipped up her shirt, "We do not share our technology with younger races. It would cripple you."

"Cripple?" Eli asked, "How would knowledge cripple us?"

Jade smiled sweetly, "Knowledge beyond you would cripple you, it would force you to depend on something other than your own brains and achievement."

Eli nodded then, understanding. Sapphire stepped forward to the image wall before any more questions could be asked, "Now," pointing at the wall it formed into a picture of Destiny floating in space, "Here is your ship. The Gemine have removed the alien parts and restored it to-"

Jutoi jumped to her feet, "You removed the Antolian technology?" her tail twitched unhappily.

"Yes," Sapphire sighed, "You are beyond them at the moment. When you teach them as we taught you, and they understand… then you may give them the technologies you possess."

The crew looked like they were about to protest so Sapphire continued loudly, focusing their attention elsewhere, "You'll be happy to note… We did repair the ship to its former glory. It is as it was when it was first built. Excepting the information on the ships system of course… All the planets you have visited are still there."

"Isn't it beyond them?" Terru grumbled.

Sapphire rolled his eyes in frustration, "It is Ancient technology, it is their own people… our morals do not allow us to interfere with the discovery of their history."

"So let me get this straight," Greer asked, making sure his voice showed as little aggression as possible, "You saved us from the Ori to take away the Antolian technology and repair our ship… only to send us back to the Ori woman on our little journey without a crew?"

Jade folded her arms, "He's got a point Sapphire…" Sapphire glared at her, "I'm only saying sir… With their human crew gone, no matter how well repaired the ship is, it will not help. They will die, and we will be the ones who killed them."

"They are resourceful…" Sapphire defended.

Jade shook her head, "No… they are lucky," she turned to Greer for a moment then back to Sapphire, "Our moral code does not deny me the right to run their ship. I can be a part of the crew and teach them."

Sapphire's face seemed about to explode from held in frustration.

"I am joining the Destiny crew. You said so yourself only this morning to the council, 'they have high potential, if only they had the right teacher'."

Sapphire's nostrils flared. Thoughts raced in his head of how this conflicted with the moral code. But, as his thoughts raced he found Jade to be right… Although it skirted the line, it never crossed the code. She had successfully bent the rule to her whim. Sapphire sighed. _So be it._

Jade smiled, seeing the defeat in his eyes, "It is settled then. We will leave when they are ready," before anyone else could protest she left the room smiling proudly to herself.

_Somehow, _Young thought, _I think she planned that._

DESTINY

"All systems are clear," Jutoi said, not looking at Young.

"Then set her back on course…"

"Are we really leaving sir?" Scott asked.

"We have no choice…"

"We could trick them like Jade did," Greer said in a low voice, standing beside Young in his chair.

"Then we'd make enemies. I'm not willing to do that, especially when they're so far beyond us."

Jutoi exaggerated a sigh, "When you hens are finished gossiping, I could use some help on the sensor console."

Terru laughed, "But, mother!" he whined and sat down to the indicated monitor, "Look, not even a planet nearby! We're fine. Once we get back on course you can go take a much needed shower and muss up that disgusting mug of yours!"

Jutoi jumped over her console to lash out at him, grabbing his arm and briefly wrestling with him before shoving him back in the seat, "I'll show you who's ugly," she muttered with a smile.

"Auto-pilot set sir," Eli announced turning in his chair.

"So what do we do now?" Scott asked.

"We continue the mission," Rush folded his arms across his chest, "We learn about the universe and we try to find a way home."

Jade who was silent the entire time cleared her throat, every one turned their attention to her, "May I ask… why try to find a way home?"

Scott scoffed, "Why?" he shook his head, "I guess it's hard for you to understand. You can blink home anytime you want, but we're a long way out and we can't blink back… So we're a little home-sick," his tone was harsh and Young made a note to question him later, but Jade seemed unperturbed.

"Of course…" she smiled sadly, "I'm sorry I totally forgot that you were not from here."

_How could she forget?_ Young questioned to himself.

_The Gemine see the universe differently Colonel Young,_ Jutoi mentally answered. Young had been slacking on his exercises and his thoughts were breaking through more often. This would be a problem if they were to pass by Azul.

_So she's spacey? No pun intended._

Jutoi chuckled, _Yes, in a sense. The universe and all its galaxies are one whole to them, so naturally some concepts are harder for them to understand… for example distance. The Antolians had a particularly hard time getting used to their concept of privacy. To them privacy is everything. To us, it does not exist. For you, distance is everything. For them, distance does not exist. This will be a learning experience for us all I'm sure._ She purposefully looked at Jade who was carrying on a conversation with Eli and Rush about Faster-than-light travel.

Young nodded examining Jade for a moment as well before standing, "I believe it's about time that I contact home base. They'll want to know we're alive. In the meantime… Rush, Eli. I want you to do what you can, and see how well this ship is running. And I want to know what it can do. If we're going to continue on our way I'm sure we'll meet Irene again and I want to be prepared."

They nodded, Jutoi stood. _If it is alright with you, I would like to visit as well. I want to know if my men are being treated well. _Young agreed and they left.

EARTH

O'Neill sighed looking down at the pile of paperwork. Five good men lost to another Ori ship, just when life was getting easy the Ori returned! Brody assured him that the woman Irene didn't, or couldn't, travel to earth yet, but that didn't mean she couldn't in the future… Just another future headache on the table, was all it was.

He'd finally gotten down to filling paperwork when someone came rushing into his office. He'd learned not to expect the worst every time this happened. Just one too many times a scientist called a false alarm. So O'Neill calmly lifted his head, the sergeant was out of breath, he had run the entire way here… form where?

"Sir…" the sergeant took a moment to breathe again, "It's the communication stones… Young is alive!"

BRIEFING ROOM

"How the hell did you survive?"

"Nice to see you too Telford," Young laughed. Telford rushed forward pulling Young into a bear hug. Jutoi, or rather private Chin, stood a distance away, against the window to the gate room hoping to see one of her crew.

"We thought you were dead! We tried the communication stones a hundred times, we even used a stolen ZPM to try and dial the gate! Nothing… What happened?"

"Let's wait for Colonel Young before I explain… It's a long story. So first, tell me… how's my crew?"

"They got here safe and sound Everett… You got them home."

Young felt a swell of pride rise in his chest. He'd done what he set out to do, they were safe… with the help of the Antolians.

"And the Antolians?" Jutoi asked.

Telford looked confused, then turned to Young, questioning.

"Jutoi wanted to see her crew."

Understanding dawned and Telford nodded, "I'll make sure you see them as soon as possible."

O'Neill entered the room then, Young and Telford saluted and O'Neill waved their arms down, "Dead men don't salute Colonel…"

Young smiled, "It's a good thing I'm not dead then, is it?"

It took a long time to explain everything. Jutoi became bored very quickly and looked back to the gate room. If she was in her Antolian body she could call out to her crew and know they were safe… She was beginning to think of this human body as a prison. _How does the Gemine Jade stand it?_ Her attention wavered between the conversation and her own thoughts.

"They have a moral code that doesn't allow them to share technology so there was nothing we could do. However, a young Gemine, Jade, found a loop hole and is part of the crew now."

"She's not part of the crew… She's a judge…" Jutoi interrupted.

O'Neill raised an eyebrow, Telford and Young focused on her, "What do you mean?" Telford asked.

"The Gemine, are not as peaceful and trusting as you would think. Not at first… She is there for two reasons, as they traveled with the Antolians in our first years of contact for two reasons. One: she is testing your race as a whole. They cannot summarize your species into one thought as my race can and so she reviews the actions of each member to gain understanding…"

Young scoffed, he knew Jade got away with bending the rules a bit too easily.

"Second," Jutoi continued, "She is to test your learning capabilities. They will not ally themselves with you if you do not present some advancement. They will not meddle in the affairs of younger races, and if you are even too young to learn, then you are nothing to them." Jutoi linked her arms behind her back, "It is nothing personal. They do this because they have been… 'burned' in the past," she unlinked her arms and placed them on the table. "Now… may I see my crew?"

BARRACKS

It was strange to be looking _up_ at her people. She hugged them firmly glad that they were unharmed. Even Yuti had agreed to physical therapy and was walking with the use of specialized crutches. Her people were being treated well. Ango taught the scientists daily, and learned from them as well. At the moment he was telling Jutoi of a city they called "Atlantis".

"It is a race of people who died out long ago…"

"Yeah, but here's the cool part," Golk interrupted, "These Ancients were actually human!"

"I know that…" _all too well_, she thought of Irene, "The Gemine explained briefly to me and Terru."

Golk looked disappointed that the information wasn't new to Jutoi, "Well it's really cool… If we can prove our loyalty to the Stargate Program they are willing to let us see it..." there was a pause as Golk looked to Ango who simply shrugged, oh how Jutoi wished she was linked with them once more! "And Yuti's practically jumping to get a chance to go there. She thinks… Well she thinks there might be a way to mend her back in the ancient database."

"They're that advanced?" Jutoi was surprised.

"Well Yuti seems to think so," Ango stated. Yuti was still in the hospital at the moment and Jutoi sighed, before she left for Destiny she would be sure to see her and comfort her.

"I am sorry you are out here… I should be with you," Jutoi dropped her head, "It must be so lonely without the collective…"

Ango shook his head and placed a hand on Jutoi's shoulder. His silent comfort made caused Jutoi's head to lift slightly. Golk spoke, "It's not so bad when we've got each other… And besides… You'll find a way for us to get home!" he said with confidence. Jutoi wished she had as much confidence as he and smiled.

"I'll take Ango and Yuti home but I think the collective would be better off without your big head," she teased, then hugged each Antolian one last time before leaving.


	11. What if I Don't Want to?

((GYY: haha ^_^ I wanted to make them a bit Tollan, the humans can't just glide back home on the wings of another bird! They've gotta fight! ^_~ it's in the struggle that we learn the most. Anyway, even if you don't like the Tollans I think you'll learn to like the Gemine, or more specifically, Jade! Read to find out!

Geekyjade: I'm glad you're liking Jade! She's certainly becoming my favorite! ((don't tell the other characters though ^_~)) oh and don't worry TJ won't sit for long in Cheyenne, she's got as big a heart as Young or Eli, even bigger in fact! And she's already trying to find a way back to Destiny. They'll need her help reeeeeal soon Du Nuuun!

Eastwood6510: I hope not too strange ^_^ If things get a little out of hand, let me know! Being the author I have a different perspective on it so I may not notice when something doesn't click! I hope you stick around and read more!

Samcarter2: Yay! I was hoping everyone liked those characters! They were my favorite in the show, well excepting maybe Scot ((only because I didn't feel like they went as in depth into his character as they could have)) that's why I'm gonna try and build on him a little in future chapters.

DESTINY

When they returned to the ship Eli and Rush were waiting beside the communication stones looking very anxious. _Glad to have you back, the lady you switched with was a whiner…_ Terru grumbled from across the ship. Jutoi smiled but didn't respond. Eli bounced on the balls of his feet, "Welcome back sir."

"Glad to be back…"

"We have good news and bad news," Rush jumped in.

"Straight to the point aren't you," Eli mumbled his bouncing stopped, he wanted to make lead dramatically into their find.

"What is it?" Young said, smiling inwardly at the still almost innocent Eli. He'd grown up a lot over the years they spent on Destiny but there was still a bit of the child in him that remained.

"If you'll follow me I can show you both in the gate room," Rush said, leaving without looking back. Young and Jutoi looked curious at each other and followed.

"We did as you asked Young, we looked at our systems and examined what each component was capable of," Rush turned a corner and his voice muffled for a moment before his followers turned the corner as well, like ducklings.

"You found something then," Jutoi stated, starting to see where this was going.

"Yes and no…" Rush looked over her shoulder, Jutoi rolled her eyes, a very human expression… strange how much she'd picked up from the humans during her stay with them… "Yes, we found something, but it's not new as you were implying. It's the gate."

"Well I'm glad your time was well spent finding the gate again," Young voiced sarcastically.

Rush was in too good a mood to be bothered by the sarcasm so he continued, "It's not the gate itself sir… it's what it can do," he opened the door the aforementioned room and the three remaining crew members stood waiting. Greer and Terru seemed to be in conversation before the door opened but stopped abruptly when it did. Jade was pushing buttons on the console. Jutoi casually asked what was going on but Terru answer with a silent grin.

"Rush… can we get to the point?" Young was getting a little impatient, it didn't help that his time on earth was spent on base doing nothing but reports, he didn't even get to see his crew…

"We can dial earth!" Eli spouted. The light in his eyes was back. Young didn't respond at first. His mind turned uneasily. This wasn't the first time someone said they could dial earth and he was beginning to think that this was some sort of prolonged practical joke from God, because each time he was close, it was snatched away.

"Colonel…?" Eli questioned, he was less than pleased with Young's silent response. Wasn't he happy they could go home?

"I heard you Eli," Young looked to the Gemine at the console, remembering what Jutoi had said. She was watching him now with interest. He turned to Eli again, "How do we get home?"

Rush was the one to speak, "Well, I've always assumed that in the best of conditions Destiny was able to dial Earth, the ancients couldn't just throw their ship into space without a way for their crew to get home." 

"I thought that's exactly what happened? They abandoned ship," Young sat down on the steps looking at Rush and periodically the gate in question.

"That's only the half-truth… When the Gemine restored Destiny they restored her memory banks too. You see, we've got the reports of the last ancients on this ship. It seems the mission was going perfectly, however… There was an attack on Earth and," he chuckled, "Well… Home base was moving. Atlantis was going to the Pegasus galaxy."

"So they skipped home, planning to return to Destiny when they got settled in Pegasus only to be attacked by the Wraith. They couldn't leave while their people needed them," Eli frowned, he'd recently found out what happened to the Ancients on Atlantis and felt almost sad, why couldn't they have stuck around and returned to Destiny?

"I see… and what does this have to do with us?" Young prodded.

"They didn't leave because of an attack on Destiny. They left because of an attack on Earth. So the ability to dial Earth should still be possible, especially since we're in top condition!"

All this time, Young mused, they'd been looking for an outside source to get them home. It seemed a little ironic that it would be Destiny herself that did it. He looked around the room now, Destiny was becoming all too familiar to him and he loved every bolt she was built with. She had been through a lot of scrapes but had gotten them out of every one. Now that Young had the chance to leave he almost regretted it. There was no doubt he'd jump at the chance to go home, but Destiny would always be on his mind. Then something came into his head.

"What's the catch…?" Young asked.

"Catch?" Terru turned his head lightly to the side. _They're trying to catch something?_

_He means, what's the problem,_ Jutoi explained.

_There is no problem. They can go home it's what they've always wanted!_

_There's a bit more to it than that Terru… What if he doesn't want to go back?_

"We can go home… but…" Young held out his hands for Eli or Rush to finish. Neither of them seemed about to speak and Young finished for them, "Earth can't send us back."

"You want to come back?" Eli nearly shouted.

"Rush isn't going to leave I can almost guarantee it," they both smiled a derisive smile, they knew each other all too well, "And if we go back, he'll have no chance of getting supplies form Earth or anything really. We won't be able to return unless we happen to stumble upon a couple ZPMs to power the gate. As I understand it, only Atlantis can get them and they're having a bit of a problem with the wraith."

"Not only that," Jutoi cut in, "You've got a few aliens on Earth who won't exactly fit in with your normal crowd… I'm sure they'd like to come home."

Eli frowned, "That's right… I'm sorry Jutoi I completely forgot… I mean… sometimes I forget you're not from Earth."

Jutoi raised an eyebrow and twitched her tail in annoyance, but she understood. She had befriended the humans and liked them. Then an idea came to her and she looked to Terru silently voicing it. His eyes widened and he shook his head, not saying no, but astonished Jutoi was willing to try. Jutoi looked at Jade. The Gemine was doing exactly what Jutoi expected, she was watching with extreme interest. _Watch this, my dear friend._

"Colonel Young, I don't mean to be rude, but you are wrong in many ways," Jutoi linked her arms behind her back, taking a pose Young often did when he had talked to his crew on Destiny. Young looked surprised but not offended and simply raised in eyebrow in question, "One; There are more ways than one to send supplies across fourteen galaxies. Two; you don't need ZPMs, whatever those are, to power the gate. Three; you underestimate your abilities."

Jade's smiled was a frown at first when Jutoi began to speak but now it stretched from ear to ear.

"Would you care to explain?" Greer was perhaps the only one a little offended by Jutoi's hit to Colonel Young, Scot seemed to be amused by it but Greer was taking an aggressive stance.

"Wouldn't it be simpler and more power-friendly to build a much smaller gate to send smaller objects through? Besides… Isn't that big thing a bit superfluous?" without waiting for an answer she continued, "Also, we've tried to help before with your power constraints… and I believe it's not a lack of power but a lack of control of the power you already have," that explained two of Young's three follies. Jutoi wondered for a moment why Jade had yet to protest, she was a Gemine and fully against the sharing of technologies, but she was smiling, letting this continue… probably because she knew what Jutoi was going to say next. Jutoi leaned against the railing of the stairs, "You underestimate your human ability to learn these things and so you have given up when you have the perfect teachers right in front of you."

"Teachers?" Greer asked in disbelief, "Why not just build it, teach us later!"

"Because, you will never want to learn it later!" Jutoi laughed, "How long do we have until we are in Irene's space, Jade?"

The crew suddenly shrank mentally a few feet. Irene, they had almost forgotten. She was still out there and they couldn't sit under Gemine protection the whole time.

"Exactly one week. We will be back in the Gamma Galaxy and Destiny will be back on its course. It is then that you will most likely meet again with Irene." Jade didn't move an inch from her spot and was so inconspicuous the Destiny crew had almost forgotten she was there.

"Good!" Jutoi smiled, her ears perked and her tail swishing happily, "You have one week to learn. Starting now!"

GEMINE HOMEWORLD

Sapphire heard the familiar tone of an incoming message on his Crystal Comm. He touched it, allowing it to open.

"Sapphire, this is Jade here reporting the progress."

"So soon?" he asked, it had only been a couple hours since they left and they surely hadn't even left Gemine space yet.

"The humans work fast… It is strange. I believe it has something to do with the organs they possess. I'm finding it difficult not to be active myself with this beating organ they call a heart constantly counting time!" Sapphire laughed and Jade continued, "Nevertheless, yes; I have a report this early into our mission."

"Then please continue, report."

"The humans seem to possess that of a class three technology system with a thread of class four knowledge. They are a very intuitive species and are equally as adaptive as the Antolians. The one they call Young is as we suspected their leader. But, it seems he has become that leader, not by choice, but by title. Not to say that he's not a born leader… It's miraculous really how much devotion and trust this small crew has given him… I only wish I had the others here to see the full effect of his leadership."

"Well you'll have to make due with his six member crew," Sapphire frowned. Jade was smart enough to know they could not bring back the Destiny crew from Earth, why was she even mentioning it.

"For now…" Jade said cryptically. Sapphire was beginning to worry a little, something he was none too unfamiliar with. "It seems the Antolians have agreed to teach the humans what they know," she explained. Sapphire remained in the dark and he said so, "The Antolians are going to teach them how to build a class for transportation system… a small one. This among other things. The teaching will be done in a week and the Antolians are going to try to help them get home. I am not sure yet what they plan to do with the one they call Irene, but I believe Jutoi has a plan for that, or if she does not, I'm sure the combined efforts of the humans will succeed. From what I gather, I believe it's been done before…." This news she knew would upset Sapphire.

"What?" he turned his whole body to the faceless voice, "That would require a class five weapon, or in the very least a class five prison! How could they have that technology or knowledge as such a Young race?"

"As I've said, they are a very intuitive and adaptive species… I have a feeling that we'll need to befriend these humans now, or they may surpass us very quickly…"

Sapphire calmed a little and leaned back in his chair, "Jade… we are not in the business to get ahead, we live only to experience."

Jade was glad that he could not see her face because she was frowning now. This was touching on a debate she had on many occasions with many different Gemine and she was not willing to press her point now. "I understand sir… please just think on the possibility. I will report back when I have more substantial information on the humans and their connections. May your light reflect the sun," she ended with the traditional goodbye of her species.

"May your crystal never break," was his reply.


	12. Find Us a Way

EARTH

Golk threw the ball across the room, thoroughly enjoying the way it rebounded back to him. It had been two weeks here. Two weeks of nothing but windowless hallways and long lectures. He and all the Antolians lectured as long as they could with each human, hoping the combined efforts of their brains could help them find a way home, or supplies to Destiny but so far the results had been less than satisfactory.

Golk had become attached to the one called Daniel Jackson. He was a strange type of human called a "nerd" Golk never quite understood how or why humans separated each other like that. Nevertheless, Daniel Jackson was the most intriguing individual in the Stargate program. The others all seemed to be men with military prowess like Golk and he rarely stayed to long in the presence of someone like himself… it always led to battle.

So there Golk sat listening to Jackson ramble about ancient histories and how they differed from his people as he threw a green ball against the wall.

"So your people have no differences in religion?" Jackson asked. It was rare that he asked a direct question but when he did Golk answered happily.

"Not in the way you perceive it, no."

_Why must the human ask so many questions that do not pertain to our return?_ Yuti asked frustrated.

_Because he is curious… haven't you asked them question about themselves, not "pertaining to our return"? _Golk responded with an outward chuckle. Daniel looked at him questioningly but didn't ask. The humans were growing used to the strange alien's habit of silent conversation.

_I think it's interesting._ Ango cut it. _I've been studying with a Samantha Carter and humans already have a sizable knowledge of the world and universe. I like to hear about how they began. _

Yuti growled lightly, _I always hated history lessons…_ _well you've had your fun, get back to the task at hand! We need to get back! It's been two weeks! Destiny is back in the Gamma Galaxy and though Irene has yet to show herself, I can guarantee you that it will not stay so for long!_

_Fine my friend, I will get back to the task at hand._ Golk grumbled reluctantly tail twitching lightly. He turned to Daniel with a sigh, "My companions believe I spend too much time on less than essential matters. Forgive me, but I'll be brooding in the lower levels with the scientists."

Jackson laughed lightly, "Sorry to keep you away for so long."

"Not a problem Daniel Jackson," he waved goodbye and stepped out into the corridor. The humans stepped aside from his large stature as he passed. Some still looked at him in fear, but most looks were touched with awe now.

He took an elevator down to the lowest level where they were working on the miniature stargate and stepped out onto the cement floor. Ango was already there and Yuti as usual, with her crutches, was standing next to the human's computer panel pulling up the stargate schematics.

"Good Golk, you're hear," Ango smiled pulling him aside, "We are about to initiate another test of the miniature ring and I could use an extra eye on the radiation levels."

Golk looked out into the large, almost empty, space in front of him the only thing breaking the monotony of the vast grey scene was a small clear encasing around a one and a half foot stargate. A replica of the ring was aboard the Destiny, built to exact specifications, by the six man crew.

The elevator announced the arrival of someone else and both the Antolians turned to find Tamara standing in the doorway. Ango stepped forward to guide her to the small alien group.

"Hello, Tamara," Golk nodded towards her and looked back to the small glass box.

"What brings you here?" Ango questioned, his worry for her well-being radiated to the other two.

"I wanted to see if it was going to work this time."

The lieutenant looked hopefully up at Ango's grey face that looked back with an equally hopeful face. He patted her back lightly and set her down in a chair. Golk moved to the Geiger counter and other machinery Ango had asked him to supervise. Ango in turn moved to the dialing system.

Yuti initialized the introduction of a small amount of power into the make-shift ring. It lit up. She added a touch more and the smaller inner ring began to circle slowly. Golk announced the power levels to be stable and the relays handling well. Adding just a bit more power Yuti ordered the dialing sequence. Ango began, one, two, three chevrons. Four, five, six… the ring began to spark lightly at the edges. Golk proclaimed the inner coils of the ring to be heating up. Ango continued. Seven… Eight…

Everyone's hearts began to race, the ring was holding up. Tamara clutched her hands to her chest. Could it be that they were finally going to connect to the starship Destiny? She was surprised at how much that made her happy. She thought that once she returned to Earth she would be content, but the return only brought a loneliness that she dreaded.

The mini stargate's ring circled haltingly one last time to rest on the ninth chevron. There was a delay until the mechanism locked. All four present jumped with joy as the familiar blue event pooled forward then backwards. After several failed attempts and two long weeks of building and re-building a small version of the naquadria based Stargate the connection was made!

DESTINY

Jade smiled with delight as the miniature gate connected successfully. She knew it would. It was strange to see the celebrations the humans screamed at such a small object. Yet, she understood, the implications of what was now possible were gigantic. She was very impressed with the human's ingenuity to understand a technology beyond them so well that they could re-create it here on such a small starship.

She was beginning to understand their hunger for technology now. Over the past two weeks she had questioned them extensively and come to a conclusion. The humans learned by example. Not that they hadn't learned from personal experience but more often than not, another humans experience had given them a lesson learned as well. And, as she watched the progress they made with the small wormhole in front of her she knew that any technology they did not understand could be "reverse-engineered" until they did.

"Simply fantastic," she stated with a smile. Jutoi turned to her then pausing in her howling jubilations to examine the petite Gemine. Jade suspected that Jutoi knew her ulterior motives for being here but it didn't matter, whatever the Antolian told the Humans would not change a thing. The test was the same and the result would never change if the humans could pass.

Jade nodded to the Antolian politely and turned to walk away. No one followed. The excitement brought on by success kept them occupied.

Walking down the corridor to her quarters Jade was reminded of her own home. Though steel was nothing like natural earthen materials the feeling was the same: solid, enclosed space. It brought a deep coldness to the body sometimes that brought on a shiver to her new biotic shell. Jade paused then looking into the reflective surface of a nearby wall. When the humans had first stepped aboard Destiny she was rusted and old, now her walls shined with a new vigor and it did nothing to mar the strangely beautiful face Jade saw there.

This shell made from the collective DNA of the humans reacted instinctively to many things, Jade's emotions among them. It was hard to get used to. When she was confused her eyebrows would furrow, the same reaction was called forth when she felt worried. When she was happy she would smile, but at the moment Jade's reflection showed an impassive face. A reactionless mask that she suspected was far more fitting to the Gemine than she would have liked.

Jade thought back to the reactions of the crewmembers when the stargate had connected. In the faded reflection of the copper siding Jade tried to mimic those same reactions on her own face. It brought only a decidedly _not_ joyous look and then a grimace. Jade sighed lightly, another instinctive reaction to her feelings, and stared at the reflection. She had never felt such strong emotions in her life as these humans had showed her they were capable of. A race full of crystalized intelligence did not need to _feel_. But, Jade almost wondered what it was she was missing… What insanity plagued their brains that brought on such joy your body simply jumped with the power of it. And, how could the body survive such an onslaught of raw feeling… Jade touched the reflection tenderly.

"Are the Gemine not whole…? Are we missing something?"

Footsteps behind her did not pull her away from the strange sad reflection until the soft female voice spoke, "Are you alright Gemine Jade?"

Jutoi stepped up behind Jade, staring at the same reflection that slowly collapsed back to the stone façade. "Everything is fine my friend."

Jutoi nodded and smiled, "I was only worried that you were not feeling well, your face looks so…" she couldn't bring herself to say anything, it was so unlike a Gemine to be anything but stone.

"I am unsettled by the experiences of a new body but that is nothing to worry about Jutoi, thank you," Jade bowed slightly and before Jutoi could ask or say anything more Jade turned and continued walking back to her quarters. It would not do well to fall prey to these strange thoughts too often, Jade concluded to herself, it was only a waste of time and the humans had very little of that. Irene could be here any moment, and it only worried Jade more that the strange woman had not shown herself yet.

EARTH

Lieutenant Johansen looked around at the ragtag crew she had come to know so well on board the Destiny. They all looked altogether better than they ever did aboard Destiny. Many of them had returned home and like Johansen, possibly the first thing any of them did was take a long shower or bath then run to the nearest fast food restaurant and order the whole menu! Johansen chuckled at the exaggerated memory.

The others slowly came mingling into the conference room overlooking the Stargate. Brody and Volker were arguing as usual and Dr. Park walked in with a long cane, it hurt Johansen to remember the poor woman's misfortune that resulted in her blindness. Second Lieutenant James walked in as well looking glum as usual. Even Camille Wray walked through the door with her usual air of confidence. The room began to chat and catch up as to what everyone had done in the past… two weeks was it? It seemed like such a long time.

Tamara sat at the head of the conference table next to Samantha Carter waiting patiently for any stragglers to file in. Looking at the group now Johansen began to feel as if they never left Destiny… the crew, though short tempered at times with one another, had grown into a close-nit make-shift family and the reunion they shared now so shortly after being parted left Tamara with a strange yearning for the ship she thought was her personal hell…

"Is that everyone?" Carter called over the conversational hum. Silence fell and everyone seemed to count heads and faces, even those who hadn't found seats around the conference table seemed to acknowledge the presence of the others with a searching gaze. When no one found any missing members they all looked to Samantha. "Good, let's begin then."

"To begin I would like to make sure everyone is caught up to date with the Destiny situation," Carter continued, "First, we do have contact with Destiny now, not just through the communication stones, with the help of the Antolians we have created a small version of the Stargate out of similar components to the Naquadria. Second, Irene has yet to show herself so as yet the crew still aboard Destiny is unharmed."

The group began to murmur amongst each other about Irene and their own thoughts as to why she stayed in the shadows. Carter held up a hand to silence the group and they easily complied. "With the small gate we can now send supplies to Destiny and that brings us to the reason why we're here. Lieutenant Johansen has expressed a desire to send a message back to Destiny and we brought all of you in so that you may do the same. The wormhole is stable, however very short, and we will-" Carter was interrupted by an Antolian entering the conference room. She hadn't quite figured out how to tell them apart yet, other than by the color of their fur but this one was definitely one of the males and he looked strangely commandeering.

"Forgive the intrusion," he said with a slight bend at his waist for a bow, "I had forgotten this reunion was today…" he turned to leave and Tamara called out to him to stop. He did and looked back at her.

"It's not like we're discussing war plans or anything… stay please, this sort of involves you too… you were part of the crew after all."

"For a very short time…" he looked uncomfortable but out of the blue James lifted her hand to his and pulled him down beside her. He looked surprised but unoffended. James muttered to his ear, "Just shut up and accept the invitation, Golk," she kept a hold of his hand as the meeting continued.

Carter cleared her throat, "So if there is any sort of message you would like to send to Destiny we will be opening the mini-gate in two hours."

Conversation suddenly sprung to life as each member fought to be heard over the questions the wanted answered. How big was the gate? How long could it stay open? Was it stable enough to send fragile items through? Had it been tested? Carter tried to answer as many questions as she could but eventually there came a question that nearly rocked her out of her seat with surprise.

"Can we make the gate big enough to send a human through?"

The room fell silent, everyone looked at Tamara, the one who spoke. The silence felt heavy as everyone thought of the implications of a return journey. The first time they'd gone through the gate to the abandoned starship they had been standing on an exploding planet. The only reason they'd been on such a volatile planet was that it was necessary to power the Stargate for such a long trip yet… if the gate were smaller… less power consumption…

"Yes…" Golk spoke warmly into the silence. Everyone turned to him. He continued to sit next to Vanessa James with his hand in hers yet he still managed to seem as commanding as when he entered. "It is possible… The others and I have been working on the idea ourselves. The only constraint holding us back now is the material. The small gate we created is powered by your electricity alone but to create a wormhole any bigger than that it would require a secondary power that can be delivered vicariously through the materials the ring is made of… we have been searching for a suitable counterpart in your Earth databases but so far we have found none…"

Tamara's heart began to beat faster, "Then you could send us back…?"

"Send us back?" Brody nearly shouted, "You want to go back to that ship? You of all people Tamara… you suffered the most… why would you…?" he fell silent as the room became charged with apprehension.

"It would be different this time..." Tamara spoke with as much confidence as she could muster, "We could return! The Gemine, the ones that saved Colonel Young and the others, they restored the ship… Eli thinks that the gate can send us back home whenever we want… we would just need a way to get there… safely…" Golk smiled to her boosting her confidence a little bit more. "Besides, I don't know about you but I don't have anything here but a house and parents who already expect me to be gone for long periods of time. We work in the military it's the way of life here! And… and I almost miss that bucket of bolts…" She finished and deflated into her chair.

"I agree," came the surprising reply from the crowd. Every turned to Camille, "I miss that bucket of bolts, but unless I have a way of returning, because I _do_ have someone I want to return to," she said a bit too harshly. To make up for that she continued softer, "I would love to see Destiny again… Maybe we could even bring our loved ones with us…?" Camille looked at Carter expectantly, thinking perhaps she would shoot the idea down with the military power she held.

Instead Carter raised an eyebrow and thought for a long moment as everyone's eyes fell to her. Sam took a deep breath and smiled, "It's possible we could make those arrangements in the future…"

Golk cleared his throat, which caused a few near him to jump, except James… "We still need the materials. We need an element with enough of a stable charge to handle the power needed for the long distance gating."

Volker sat up a little straighter, cleared his throat nervously and said, "Perhaps we can help you with that…"

Golk smiled, "Perhaps you could…"

DESTINY

Jade paced her room nervously staring at the egg shaped communication crystal on her desk. _Humans… personal wormholes… _Sapphire would not like this… not that he liked any of her reports so far! But, Jade dreaded telling him this one most of all. The Gemine didn't like the Stargate to begin with, but having the humans take that next step and actually _build_ one big enough to send a human through at will… The technology was beyond them, according to Sapphire and Jade knew what he would say no matter how much she disagreed with him.

"Sabotage the project," his voice rang clear from the crystal, "This has gone on long enough… Your presence there is causing a disruption in their natural evolution. We will be bringing you back and removing the Antolians."

Jade stopped her pacing, "What?"

"We will be bringing you back and-"

"I heard what you said," she snapped, "Why? There is no basis on your judgment! It is their history! You yourself Ok'd the repairs on their ship!"

"Yes, but that was necessary for their survival. This is not. We are bringing you home Jade, let the Antolians know this is a step too far. They must advance on their own."

Jade glared at the crystal on her desk… This wasn't fair. The humans wouldn't be able to survive without the crew and they couldn't get them here without the help of the stargate, yet Sapphire would not give them that… It could have been her own cold reasoning that told her all this but she wondered for a brief moment if perhaps the human shell was affecting her. She shoved that thought aside and grabbed the crystal holding it to her face so that her voice would be clear, "Sapphire. I respect you and all your decisions. You've been more than kind to me… my teacher, my friend, my confidant. I have always looked up to you and your decisions… But…" she gripped the crystal so hard her knuckles turned white, "Your actions are going to kill the humans on this ship and I will not stand for it. Moral code be damned. They have stepped into a problem they did not want out of sheer survival and we would be worse than the beings we've tried to shun from our existence if we did not stand to help these humans at least save themselves."

Sapphire stammered on the other end and Jade continued, "The humans are smarter than they appear on first impression. They are intuitive, creative, and intelligent. I have not seen them use one piece of technology without fully understanding its uses. I will stay. I will help these humans _and_ the Antolians. I will make sure that they survive _even _if that means I have to share a small amount of knowledge with them that they do not possess. If this means that you will no longer count me as a Gemine… so be it. If in the future you have seen the error behind your decision and the reason behind mine we may talk again. But Sapphire… if you blink me back without my express permission all my respect for you will blink without me."

Sapphire was silent as Jade slowly returned the crystal to its tabletop. Without saying goodbye she tapped the stone and the inner glow it had been emitting ceased. Jade touched her chest feeling the rapid beating beneath. She liked that feeling. She never thought being… _alive_ could feel so good…


	13. Success in Desperation

(( Sooooooo I haven't written in a while hehe - I've been kinda busy and I'll be pretty busy in the coming weeks too so I may or may not update with the next chapters for awhile, I'm sorry! However to make up for my lack in update for the past... (month?) I have updated two chapters! Again as I said when starting this story I am not a super science genius like Samantha Carter so continue to suspend your belief and assume I am a super genius - go on assume away, my ego needs it! Haha! Also, it's been awhile since I've seen SG-1 so any characters or time-line sequences I may have messed up or twisted around... just keep on suspending that belief ok?

I hope you guys like the two new chapters and please let me know what you think! PLEASE! I love constructive criticism - it's what makes my stories better :) So let me have it! Give me your worst!))

DESTINY

Jutoi stared at the miniature ring while Terru behind her worked on the larger one, the one meant to transport a single human with as minimal power as possible. Rush walked in, followed by Jade, they were talking about the stargate. Jutoi barely acknowledged the conversation except… Jade was actually talking back to him… explaining! She snapped her attention to the pair, her tail twitching nervously. What was she doing?

Rush nodded to something Jade said and turned to Terru, "Jade says that, though we don't have the right materials we can use the bigger stargate as a power source, or additive."

Terru nodded, unperturbed by what Jutoi could obviously see. Terru felt her anxiousness and turned to his, _Sister? What is wrong?_

_I do not understand… Jade is helping us._ Jutoi turned back to the minigate examining but not truly seeing.

_And that's a bad thing?_ Terru went in search of another length of copper wire.

_No… and yes. _She frowned. _If Jade is helping us, that means she's breeching the code. If she's breeching the code that means her people are going to stop it… _

_I see…_ Terru looked up to the petite Gemine. _But… she's been helping us for the past two days…_

_What?_ Jutoi stopped examining the ring and turned to stare at Terru. _But that would mean…_

Jutoi never finished her sentence. Just then, an all too familiar alarm blared through the ship. All four in the room jumped to their feet and ran for the door heading down the hall to the bridge. The alarm echoed ceaselessly all the way down.

Rush immediately swept into the room swearing, "Greer, Scot, what did you do?" they glared back and were about to protest before the ship rocked from a blow to their shields. _Attack,_ Jutoi looked to her brother. Jutoi jumped over the commander's chair and landed next to the weapon's console, Scot stepped aside and pulled up the view screen.

Terru growled, "The Nappers," he informed.

"They found us?" Rush froze only for a moment staring at the strange blue ship facing them. They had been following Destiny for decades now and had even kidnapped Rush and Chloe to try to claim the Ancient ship. He tried to push the memory aside and set to work in the commander's chair. He tried starting up the FTL drive but Jade shouted for him to stop. He froze.

"They will only chase us, and we are far more vulnerable in FTL than we are out here," Jade was slammed into the deck's railing as another hit rocked Destiny. Jutoi despite trying to return fire recognized Jade's subconscious connection to the crew. _"Us", "We"? _She turned her attention briefly to Terru.

_I noticed too sister._ He smiled.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Rush growled just as Eli and Young walked in the door.

Jade turned to explain but Young held up a hand, "We're under attack, that's obvious, just say who and why."

"Nappers, their reason is obvious," Jutoi spoke, a few drones escaped the ship but did little damage to the enemy.

"Well then jump!" Eli waved his arms in the air, as if to rush everyone to the task but no one moved.

"We will be vulnerable," Destiny rocked again, against the ships blows, new alarms began to blare.

"The shield is weakening over the left flank. She's starting to take damage," Terru informed, turning off the incessant alarm.

"Why aren't they just swooping in and cutting holes into our ship like they did last time?" Scot asked.

"Because our shields are too strong," Jade spoke calmly as if to a child, "We Gemine restored the ship to full power, remember? They are trying to weaken your shields just enough so that they do not damage the ship but-" another blow.

"Stop talking and blow them up!" Jutoi growled, sending another wave of drones. They hit harder this time and it seemed as if the enemy shield was weakening as well. Then, the return fire broke through their shield.

Young frowned as Terru informed him of what he already knew. They needed to fix that hole in the shield. "Rush, Eli," he turned to them, "Go down to the secondary control room and fix that shield!"

The obeyed immediately and Young turned back to the crew in front of him, "Scot, Greer, search the ship and make sure none of those bastards got through," they obeyed with a salute, "Jutoi, Terru, Jade…" here he paused, knowing full well that these three aliens were not under his command, "help me fight these guys."

Jutoi smiled, "Yes, sir."

A voice over the intercom told Young that Eli and Rush were in the control room. The walkie-talkie on his side echoed Scot's voice telling Greer the west corridor was clear. Terru amped up the shields that he could and turned off the unnecessary power systems to be able to do so, Jutoi fired shot after shot and Jade jumped into the ship's navigation chair, pulling her around so that the weakened side was pulled away from fire.

Young was feeling rather proud of his crew… until a second ship arrived. Fighting on both sides Young felt nervous, but commanded Jade to take evasive action. They circled and wove around the two ships but their maneuvers only lessened the fire, it didn't stop it.

"We can't keep up down here!" Rush shouted through the intercom, "We've got holes all over the shields now!"

"Enemy in southern corridor!" Scot shouted to Greer. Young was about to call a retreat when Jutoi let out a victorious whoop.

"Direct hit!" the enemy ship to their right, the first one to fire, was falling away now, a large hole in its side. It began to retreat and the second ship flew in beside it pulling them both into FTL and away. Terru jumped and shouted triumphantly and Jade smiled, looking relieved.

"Enemy down, searching the aft now!" Scot called through the radio.

Young leaned against the railing with relief. Jutoi smiled at him, "Good job Commander."

"Yes," a sadistic female voice called out behind Young, "Very good job…"

Young turned to see Irene and quickly pulled up the weapon at his side. It flew out of his hands and across the room with a wave of Irene's hand and she laughed. Jutoi jumped at her, teeth bared but the same happened to her as well. She hit the wall with a thud and fell to the ground then attempted to lift her body from the ground.

"Very good job Commander… you didn't die. But now they know where you are… what are you going to do?" Irene, dressed in a red flowing gown stepped forward standing nose to nose with Young.

"What took you so long?" Young asked his voice sounding more confident then he felt.

"I had to find a few friends first, don't worry I haven't forgotten about you or your crew Young. I only want to make you suffer. This game of mine will be very entertaining. You have twenty three hours before my friends return. I suggest you cover those wounds and carry on or you might lose this next round." Irene laughed sweetly, a contradiction to her presence and disappeared.

Jutoi finally stood holding her side. Young took a few deep breaths so that his shaking would stop then turned to the others. "Gate room… now," he turned to the intercom, "When you two are finished repairing the shield I need everyone in the gate room. He gave the same command to Scot and Greer despite the fact that they'd probably be at the search for some time.

EARTH

Golk hovered over the half-made stargate with interest. Ango laid into it, pulling a copper coil through a section of the ring. Lieutenant James stood off to the side. Volker examined the side of the gate receiving readings from the ring into a hand-held device.

"I don't get it," Volker sighed, "I've tried this test twenty times now! The material has the same conductivity as the minigate and yet, it isn't responding to the power supply like it should."

"Maybe there's a problem in the conduit," Ango suggested pulling aside the copper coil to attach something to the inside of the ring. Golk never understood this stuff so he pulled back, staying out of the way as best he could. James who had become strangely attached to him since the conference touched his arm lightly. She nodded towards the door and he followed her out.

"I can see you're no use in there and you're just stressing about it so let's go get something to eat, hm?"

Golk turned his head to the side curiously, "Very well."

James giggled, "'Very well,'" she mimicked. Golk smiled. Her laugh sounded nice.

They entered a larger room with lots of people. Several near the door stopped their conversations to look at him nervously. Daniel Jackson waved from across the room and called, "Golk! Lieutenant James, over here!" Golk gently guided her over with a smile. James nodded lightly, looking a little nervous at the company. Colonel Carter and Teal'c sat among them. Golk nodded to Teal'c with respect, the only other alien in this compound beside the Antolians.

"How's the ring work going?" Sam asked.

"It's going well… though I would not know much about that sort of thing," Golk responded.

"No?" Jackson took a bite of whatever the café had served, "I thought you all linked mentally or something and knew what everyone knew."

Golk smiled politely but felt a small depression begin to settle, "Yes, we do… but that does not mean that we are all the same person. If I am in desperate need of that knowledge I can call on the help of the Collective but even so… I am too far to reach them now."

Teal'c looked sympathetic for moment, if that frozen face could look sympathetic, then his head cocked to the side interested, "What about the other two with you. Can you not connect with them?"

"It is not my place to take knowledge from them. I am not their mate," Golk said looking down at the table despite its uninteresting surface.

Sam cleared her throat nervously, "So… uh, anyway. Daniel, how goes the research on Atlantis?"

"It's good," he took the cue swiftly and began to talk about the Atlantis mission in detail despite the fact that Carter knew plenty about it. Golk appreciated the gesture and put half of his attention to the conversation. The other half was back with Ango and Yuti. He was only a soldier. He felt useless here, but he wished that he could be doing something to help.

James left and came back with a plate of food. They ate in companionable silence and not for the first time wondered at James' strange behavior. However when he thought back he remembered James helping Johansen with his injuries and several other times aboard Destiny showing interest in him… but surely she was just fascinated by his alien nature…

He turned to look at her and she smiled back. Golk felt a nervous twitch in his tail, he wanted desperately to read her thoughts to understand her drive but it would be a breech on her rights and he also worried that it might hurt her if he tried.

"What do you think, Golk?" Sam interrupted his thoughts.

Golk looked up, "Forgive me, I was distracted."

Sam and Daniel seemed to pass a knowing look to each other and Golk frowned. "I was asking what you thought of the food."

_Jutoi and Young are back._ Ango called.

"I think it's serviceable," Golk said aloud then to Ango, _So soon? What has happened?_

"See!" Daniel laughed, "Even the aliens don't like it. We should have a nice-" _They were attacked by the Nappers. It was Irene's doing. They took some damage but it seems that She plans to send another wave of them. Jutoi says we've got twenty-three hours._

"_We?"_ he spoke aloud and to Ango, the table looked at him confused.

"Well…" Daniel started nervously, "If you don't want to join I suppose-"

"No, no," Golk waved his hand, "Forgive me I spoke aloud by accident. It seems there has been a problem aboard Destiny."

"And we must finish the gate in twenty-three hours or the crew will have to face another attack from the Nappers," Ango walked up beside Golk followed by an Asian woman who Golk assumed was Jutoi.

"Why must the gate be finished? Do they plan to return home and leave the ship to the aliens?" Golk asked, not following the reasoning behind this.

"No… Young plans to bring his crew back so that they can fight the menace off together," Ango looked to Golk with frown, "If the entire crew were present they could spare the hands they had to man the other weapons systems aboard the ship."

"I see… So I must share knowledge and help you to finish the gate in time then?"

Ango nodded.

"Perhaps we could help too," Sam stood. Teal'c stood as well and Daniel pushed his tray away to stand. "We've been through scrapes like this before. If we get the gate up and running we could also bring over some of our own equipment and weapons to attach to the ship. Make her more ready."

"That would be much appreciated," Jutoi/Chin nodded, "We are in need and though this may be a long shot, I believe it is our only shot."

"Believe me, we understand," Daniel laughed.

DESTINY

(20 hours to go)

"No! That wire goes against the sliding plate!" Jutoi growled.

Terru hissed, his tail lashing, "Then you do it! I've tried ten times to place this damn wire right and all you've done is complain!" Jutoi glared in response, "I've shared my knowledge with you, but that doesn't make you the expert!" Terru clawed at the sliding ring one for time in frustration trying to place the red and blue wire in the correct slot, "You'd figure that we might have been smart enough to place this wire _before_ the slider was in place," he growled.

Scot was holding the toolbox looking rather useless and venting more frustration magnified by Terru she snapped at Scot, "Can't you get that pompous braniac Rush in here? He'd be more useful than you!"

Scot looked offended but with military discipline pushed it down, "Ma'am, Rush is working on sorting out the Ancient controls, that's his expertise." Scot didn't like the aliens. He'd had enough run in's with aliens up to this point and though the Antolians were the nicest of the line, they frightened him the most. A soldier learns about his enemy so that he can fight and survive. He'd tried everything he could to learn about the Antolians, not that he planned to fight them, it was habit, but he couldn't quite understand their communication. Several times he'd caught Jutoi standing in a hall laughing to herself and making gestures as if in conversation, but no sound broke her lips. They did that now as they fought over the problems with the electrical pathways.

"Then get that math boy! At least he knows more than how to stand to the side holding a box of tools!"


	14. tminus 20 hours

DESTINY

(20 hours to go)

"No! That wire goes against the sliding plate!" Jutoi growled.

Terru hissed, his tail lashing, "Then you do it! I've tried ten times to place this damn wire right and all you've done is complain!" Jutoi glared in response, "I've shared my knowledge with you, but that doesn't make you the expert!" Terru clawed at the sliding ring one more time in frustration trying to place the red and blue wire in the correct slot, "You'd figure that we might have been smart enough to place this wire _before_ the slider was in place," he growled.

Scot was holding the toolbox looking rather useless and venting more frustration magnified by Terru she snapped at Scot, "Can't you get that pompous braniac Rush in here? He'd be more useful than you!"

Scot looked offended but with military discipline pushed it down, "Ma'am, Rush is working on sorting out the Ancient controls, that's his expertise." Scot didn't like the aliens. He'd had enough run in's with aliens up to this point and though the Antolians were the nicest of the line, they frightened him the most. A soldier learns about his enemy so that he can fight and survive. He'd tried everything he could to learn about the Antolians, not that he planned to fight them, it was habit, but he couldn't quite understand their communication. Several times he'd caught Jutoi standing in a hall laughing to herself and making gestures as if in conversation, but no sound broke her lips. They did that now as they fought over the problems with the electrical pathways.

"Then get that math boy! At least he knows more than how to stand to the side holding a box of tools!" Jutoi said then immediately yelped loudly as a spark hit her hand singeing a bit of the fur, when Scot and Terru tried to help she pushed them away with a hiss, "Just go get the math boy!"

Scot angrily set the tools aside and marched off. _Fine, I know when I can't help, I was just following orders! Eli still needed some time to fix the shields._ It wasn't his fault they were short-handed, Jutoi should be blaming Jade! He shook his head in frustration turning into what used to be the medical wing. He paused, in his anger he had taken the wrong turn. But for a moment he was lost in memory.

Scot saw himself standing over Greer after that crazy transplant, Tamara didn't think she was a great doctor but Scot firmly believed this mission couldn't have had a better one. She'd stitched up all sorts of wounds on a regular basis, not to mention the fact that the medicine she used were all herbal and picked from the many planets they had visited! He'd been on the receiving end of some of those herbs and he knew they didn't taste good but damn if they didn't work.

Memories of the time his arm had been infected by that strange living plant sent shivers up his spine and he took a deep calming breath. He was about to leave when he saw someone oddly familiar, "Tamara?" he called. Was he hallucinating? He hadn't gotten much sleep in the past few days…

The blonde woman turned to face him and he shook his head with a chuckle, no it was just Jade, "Sorry for a moment you looked like… Oh never mind," he waved his hand and began walking away but Jade called out to him.

"Scot."

He stopped and turned to her, "You are emotionally in distress… is there something I can do?"

Scot laughed derisively, "If you can teleport our entire crew here without the use of that damn Stargate maybe," that Stargate had been more trouble than it was worth from the beginning. He had told Young that he thought the wisest decision was to get the hell out of there but Young insisted it was useless. Not for the first time Scot wished this entire mission had never been planned. He could be home right now with a cold beer watching the Giants or maybe the Redsocks, hell he'd watch the Yankee's if he could, he just wanted a night without worry or stress and he knew that wouldn't happen for a long time.

Jade's weak smile gave a small amount of comfort despite his previous thoughts of blaming her for their troubles, "That I cannot do Sergeant, I have not the means to recreate or use the technology at the moment."

Scot figured as much, "So what are you doing in here? Jutoi is certainly on edge and could use some brainiac help."

"I was looking for an herb for a strange rash that has appeared under my breast line."

Scot couldn't help but laugh. Of all the things for an alien species to say he had never expected to hear something so normal. Not to mention it was more than slightly awkward to hear of any kind of rash on any part of a human body that wasn't your own.

"It is funny?" she asked smiling reflexively.

"A little," he laughed again, "It's too bad Tamara's not here, she could handle all the little things like that really well."

"But she is not here. Perhaps… Might you have some knowledge of the human physiology?"

Scot scoffed, "Define knowledge," he said sarcastically and thought of his experience with female "physiology".

"An understanding of the natural-"

"I didn't mean literally Jade," he sighed, _aliens_, "Look, I know how to keep myself healthy but when it comes to helping others I can only tell them what I've done and sometimes it doesn't work for everyone, or sometimes the problem is something bigger."

"Then perhaps you could help me. You see I am new to the human body, Gemine do not produce strange rashes over their coating and I am not sure how to handle this."

The look she had as she touched underneath her left breast indicating the area of the rash made Scot laugh once again. She looked like a child holding out a cut finger to its mother. She was definitely no child though! "I don't know if I should… maybe I can get Jutoi." _To hell with Jutoi, she's ornery today!_ He thought to himself but… then again he would be too if it was up to him to use was little supplies they had to build a working mini-stargate.

"I had asked Eli the same question and he seemed uncomfortable with it as well. I understand the female form when naked is an arousing thing to you but I thought perhaps a man with your experience…"

Scot raised an eyebrow, "What makes you think I have experience?"

"After your initial contact with us on the planet you called Eden we have been following you and studying you. I had thought perhaps, though you had not mentioned your previous sexual encounters to your partner," Scot frowned, thinking of Chloe always hurt when she was away, "that it was something to be proud of."

Scot was getting irritated again, "Look, I still don't get how you know what my sex life has been like, but fine, I check your damn rash then I need to go get Eli, Jutoi will probably bite off my head if I don't."

Jade smiled, "I thank you Sergeant Scot!"

Jade removed her shirt swiftly and then her bra, _how did the Gemine have or make human clothing?_ Scot felt himself blush a little but took on a professional air and examined the rash in question. He wasn't sure how Tamara did it. A rash could be discolored and she'd know what it was, but all Scot could think was that a rash looked like a rash and the best way he'd found to deal with them was to slap some ointment on it and let it run its course… "It's right along the bra line so it's probably just a heat rash. Tamara used to have something up here for that but I can't tell you what it was, I was never eager to learn too much about the medicine side of life."

Jade frowned and turned her head to the side, "A… heat rash? Is there perhaps a way to cool it down?"

Again Scot laughed at her alien logic, "No, cooling it down won't help. It needs to air out."

"But if I walk around with no shirt the men will become uncomfortable…"

Scot smiled and shook his head, "You don't have to be naked, just wear something loose, not tight… and no bra it rubs the skin too much…. Not that I would know," he laughed.

Jade nodded, leaving the bra aside she put her shirt back on. Scot stepped away and she followed soon after catching up with his long strides. His mind began to wander again as they walked in silence. As it had these past few weeks, it wandered to Chloe… He'd never been so obsessed about a woman before and it worried him a little. She had expressed a worry that once back on earth their tryst would end but the more he thought about it the more he figured her permanently in his life. He sometimes dreamed of a normal life with her, a son or daughter and small cozy home in Minnesota.

"You love her don't you?"

Scot was taken a little by surprise and stopped walking for a moment, "What?" did she know what he was thinking?"

"Your mate," she explained, "You love her." It was a statement now, not a question.

"Can you read minds?" he asked sarcastically and continued walking.

"In a way, yes, the human brain is like a-" she began

"Please," he interrupted, he'd had enough of the science geeks telling him how things worked for one day, "I don't want a lesson and I was being sarcastic to avoid the answer."

"You _are_ emotionally distressed Sergeant Scot. You seem very irritated today."

"Today?" he chuckled, there were quite a few civilians who were now safe on earth that he was sure would disagree, "And please just call me Scot."

"Very well, Scot..." she left it at that and followed him in silence to the secondary control room.

Eli was hard at work examining the computer code of some program or something else, either way he was deeply concentrated on the screens in front of him. Scot entered and examined the room casually. Rush was running through some figures on a paper then reading them back to Eli. It had taken a moment for either of them to notice Scot but he didn't feel like rushing them was a good idea so he'd sat patiently until they did notice.

"Jutoi needs help with the mini-gate," he stated simply.

Rush looked irritated, when didn't he? He stood with a huff, "What does she expect us to do when they arrive leave our shields weak and fragile. It won't matter how many people we have here running this damn ship if we can't set up some decent defenses!"

Scot raised his hands defensively, "Messenger Rush, remember? Don't shoot."

Rush didn't seem to care and turned his back to Scot, "We can't spare any time away from these shields until we're done. It's hard enough trying to understand Ancient technology without having to fix it too!"

"Alright fine, I'll go tell her, but she's in an awful mood and she won't like it."

"What about Jade," Eli asked, "She comes from some pretty advanced people can't she help?"

"My skills are better suited in programs not the building of complex machinery," Jade said with a smile.

"Then stay and help Rush here and I can go," Eli said, relieved at a chance to leave Rush's grating personality. Jade agreed and smiled at Rush and Scot and Eli left for the gate room.

Scot almost dreaded entering that open room after his exit a half hour ago. Eli jogged over and immediately began to help. Scot stayed well away sitting on the steps that led up to the balcony and watched from a distance. He tried to follow what they said or did for a short while but Scot quickly became lost. He hated that, but he couldn't help it… he couldn't ask for help in understanding the situation or the science behind it when they were so pressed for time, and they were definitely pressed for time!

Jutoi shouted something and everyone jumped back, she tried to dial but it stopped short, a power coupling shorting out. She growled a few words that Young would have used and it made Scot smile for a brief moment. Then he realized the tension running between them. They were under a lot of pressure… and with that thought Jutoi's snapping at him earlier seemed a little less irritating. _I shouldn't be this person, the grumpy old soldier in the corner. Colonel O'Neill even picked up on a few things outside his area of expertise… _

Not for the first time Scot dreamt of what it would be like to be O'Neill… respected, looked up to, and most importantly listened to. Scot tried to be like him but there were times when he knew he fell short… very short. O'Neill wouldn't be in this corner sulking. He'd be doing something… He shook his head. He was useful when Chloe was onboard… She needed him even if it was just for comfort. He sighed in frustration, there he was thinking of Chloe again! Dammit he had to get up and do something!

In a swift movement he was up and out the door. Maybe re-searching the ship for hostiles from the last attack could help. It would at least get his mind off of the stress and tension. He fell into his regular routine of patrol and quickly became his usual soldier-self. It felt nice to give in to the hard-ass persona that didn't care about stress, didn't care about the enemy and certainly didn't care about silly women…

_That's not correct, _he thought. Even in his soldier mode he'd sought to protect her above the others… How had this woman gotten to him? He'd fallen for women before but not like this…

Scot was imagining Chloe next to him again, her smile warming up the room so he didn't see the odd shaped shadow around the corner. He barely felt the needle point pressure in his neck and never felt the floor meet his falling form. The blackness engulfed him in timeless oblivion until he awoke bound and gagged in a small storage room with an alien he hoped he'd never meet.

EARTH (12 hours and counting)

Daniel Jackson and Samantha Carter had studied the work the Antolians had done for several hours now and had gotten lost far too quickly. They'd worked with stargates before but they'd never built one! How the Antolians had done it they'd never know… _but then again_, Daniel thought as for the tenth time the power coupling sparked and fried from the feedback. It was never his expertise to work with technology his knowledge was based on history and people, culture! This, this was Sam's line and even she was lost so he didn't feel quite so bad.

Scientists all over the base had been called off of their current work to help however they could. The Antolians had tried to describe much of it and Daniel had followed up until they began to talk about time-flux and spacial distortions. He wasn't even sure the time-flux was actually a tangent or part of the stargate workings! He'd never experienced… scratch that, how many times had he traveled through time, or had been frozen in time? In that lesson he had decided that he knew nothing of the stargate and would likely never know much about it. But out of the lesson now, he was more comfortable. Despite the fact that he was still as confused as before, he at least had something in his hands and was working through the problem.

When Golk spoke to him at first he didn't respond because he was focused on trying to figure out of the metal symbol in his hand was supposed to be attached now or later.

"Daniel Jackson," he spoke again.

Daniel turned, "Oh sorry Golk, what is it?"

"I would like to speak with you," he said, straight faced and focused, "In private."

"Of course."

Stepping away from the working team Golk pulled Daniel off to the side. Well away from prying ears Golk seemed to relax, "I have a favor to ask of you, Daniel Jackson," he paused.

"What is it?"

"You were once a creature called an Ancient… correct?" Golk asked quietly.

Daniel was surprised by the question, "Uh, no… not exactly," he paused to gauge the Antolian, "Ancient refers to a specific alien- er rather human species that lived a very long time ago. The ascended to a higher plane and became beings of… well it's hard to explain, but yes I did become one of them once… Why?"

"Is there a way to contact them?"

Daniel sighed, he wished there was! "No, not really… even if there was they wouldn't help. There are very few of them who actually would and even then those few have been punished for interfering."

"That is unfortunate…" Golk frowned looking disappointed, "If there was some way to contact the Ancients who have ascended as Irene has I had hoped there would be some way to get information."

"Golk… We'll be alright," Daniel tried to sooth the gray Alien, "The SGC has been through tougher situations."

"I do not doubt that you have Daniel Jackson but we are not the SGC…" Golk smiled weakly and Daniel frowned dropping his head a little.

"I'm sorry Golk."

"It is all right Daniel Jackson… but in the case that you could not help me with my first favor I had a second to ask of you…" Golk turned away, back to the other Antolians. Yuti quickly lifted her head and hissed in anger glaring at Golk, she looked as if she might jump from her spot on the floor and attack him. Ango mewed in surprise. Daniel wasn't certain if he'd like the favor.

"What is it…?" he asked tentatively.

"I would like you to return with me to Azure."


	15. Aliens and Bad news

DESTINY 15 Hours and counting

Jade finished with her end of the program. She'd re-routed several power cells and even, risky though it was, overrode several safety commands to bring only slightly damaged power cells online. It would be worth it if it held against the attacks if even for a few moments. But, to keep the crew safe she re-wrote several safety measures herself, so that any overload in the shield would not drop or damage it entirely…

She smiled at her work and turned to Rush who, though smart for a human, was slower than her. She stood over his shoulder and he tensed, "Don't you have work?"

"I am done…" Jade interlaced her fingers behind her back with a proud smile.

"Well fine, be on your way…" Rush's surly attitude only begged Jade to stay.

"You are a harsh human…" Jade stated.

"Thank you Doctor Freud…" his sarcasm had a twinge of anger and annoyance. Jade smiled, undaunted.

"My name is Jade, and I am no healer," she gently reached over Rush's shoulder to stop a command that would set him back several hours of work if he didn't catch it. He snapped and pushed her away with a glare.

Jade smiled sweetly, "You do not wish to have my help?"

"I thought you weren't allowed to give it!" Rush was obviously very uncomfortable so Jade stepped back before speaking again, giving Rush space.

"I am not. But, I have been pronounced a rogue…"

"A rogue?" Rush laughed, "Such a logical species… what'd you do, dare to _think_ in a different way?"

Rush had meant it sarcastically but Jade smiled and laughed sweetly, "Yes, I did."

Rush stopped and turned to look at her. Jade stepped closer again seeing that Rush had relaxed, even if only from confusion. She looked at the many workings of the Ancient devices and polished a small metallic piece on the side with her hand.

"This better not come back to haunt us…" Rush warned her, "We're in enough of a bind already!"

"It will not haunt you… it will haunt me… but even then my species does not feel guilt so I will not be haunted by my decision. I may however be subject to several repercussions because of my decision."

Rush almost hated how she talked but listening to her speak and the slightest inflections in her voice made him curious. He was uncomfortable around her, yes, but that was due to the bad experiences in the past that he'd had with aliens… However, talking here with her now, having her sound so human and inhuman at the same time, the conflicting image made him think twice about her.

After a moment he realized he'd paused in his work so he turned back to continue as he asked, "What kind of 'repercussions' are they going to cause?"

"Upon my return to my home world, they would remove my essence," Jade's voice was calm but an unfamiliar human emotion of sadness and dread was working its way into her stomach.

"They'd kill you…" Rush huffed, "How logical of them…" Jade nodded. Rush lifted his head to look at her again, "So what is it you're doing that they don't like?"

Jade turned to Rush and frowned, "I am feeling…"

CARGO

Scot groaned as he slowly drifted into consciousness. His limbs felt leaden and immoveable but he wrestled as much as he could anyway to a sitting position. The movement sent blood through his veins and with it, feeling. He tried to lift his arm again but found it tied to the other behind his back. His legs were tied in a similar way, the black metal cuff encasing his feet were not human. With that realization Scot panicked and tried to wrestle free, but of course it didn't work.

All his fighting had caused noise and it brought the attention of his capture. Scot was placed strategically behind a box in the far corner of a room the crew had used for Cargo. His mouth was covered by a strange device that dropped back into his throat, he coughed and tried to gag when the blue alien crept around the corner of the box to look at Scot.

"!#%* &&^ $ ## !" A series of clicks and sounds escaped from the alien's mouth and the Lieutenant froze, staring at the blue alien… what had the Antolians called it? Napper? Well it was certainly living up to its name!

It reached forward and Scot reacted instinctively kicking with both his legs, catching it in the chest. It fell back and Scot tried getting up to do anything, hop, shuffle or crawl his way out, but the alien recovered quickly, slamming the human back into his corner.

The cold metal against his back was a shock. The lieutenant looked down then to notice that every stitch of clothing had been removed… even his dog tags had been taken. It took a long moment for him to register all this… An aggressive alien had kidnapped him, stolen his clothes and locked him in a cargo room with nothing but a box to hide him… what was its plan?

Scot was about to fight back again when he caught sight of the aforementioned set of clothes. The alien was slipped them on over its frail body. Unsure of what to think the Lieutenant stared in disbelief as the alien holstered his gun and tested the clothing's feel on its skin. Scot felt somehow violated at the image. A thought crossed his mind, did it expect to dress like him and walk around the ship like nothing was wrong? He doubted the alien was that stupid.

He was right, because just as he thought this the alien lifted a small pair of devices into its hands. It attached one device to Scot's head, despite his struggling, and then attached the other to its own head, in the back close to the brain stem. A shimmer of light covered the blue alien and right before his eyes Scot saw himself come to being.

A cold dread sank deep in his stomach as he looked down and saw his own image shift to that of the alien's.

"Farewell, Lieutenant Matthew Scot," he heard his own voice coming out of the alien's mouth and the dread sank even deeper. The alien lifted a strange gun and shot the Lieutenant in the chest. The strange orange beam didn't hurt to Scot's surprise but in an instant his body fell into unconsciousness once again.

EARTH

"Return with you to…?" Daniel was lost for words. This large Antolian wanted him to return to its home planet.

"To Azure Daniel Jackson," Golk spoke matter-of-fact as if Daniel were a child.

"I don't understand," Daniel turned his head in contemplation, "Not that I wouldn't go mind you, I think it'd be fantastic to see your home planet but… why me, and more importantly, how?"

"I have chosen you because your knowledge would benefit the collective greatly and a man of your… opinions, would be better accepted than a warrior such as Teal'c or O'Neill, or even Young. We have knowledge of your people _from_ Young but-"

"He's a warrior… I'm a scientist," Daniel was beginning to catch on.

"Yes. My people would be interested in you more than Young. Jutoi did what she had to do at the time to communicate but, though she will not admit it, it has caused damage to Young's mind..." Golk paused, unsure if Daniel would react badly to the knowledge that one of his people was hurt by the Antolians.

Daniel wasn't sure how to react. He was still trying to digest the idea of traveling to a planet beyond any space they'd explored so far. They'd been briefed about all that had happened on the planet when the Fear attacked but… damage to Colonel Young… Any SGC personnel knew you risked your life every time you stepped through the stargate…

After a moment's pause Daniel spoke again, "So then… how are we going to get to your planet?" he didn't dare ask yet how they would share knowledge with him without damaging his mind. One step at a time…

Golk smiled lightly, but before he could answer Ango and Yuti rushed in grabbing Golk fiercely and pulling him away from Daniel. Daniel called out in surprise and tried to call them back, unsure of why they were attacking Golk but Yuti turned with a menacing hiss and Daniel backed off. SGC personnel around the room turned to stare. Yuti didn't care, they wouldn't hear the conversation anyway.

_What the hell do you think you're doing?_ Yuti practically screamed.

_I am ensuring future relations with this people… and the survival of our own._ Golk glared and tried to wrest himself from the grip of the others.

Ango let go knowing that Golk's single heart would give out if they forced him to fight too long, Yuti did the same but the triangle of tension between them remained.

_Ensuring that the Fear… rather Irene – will find us! That is what will happen should you choose to drag this human to our home planet!_

_Need I remind you,_ Golk calmly spoke, _that our planet is very well hidden specifically from Irene? We risk her discovering it every time we leave. Adding a human to that mixture will do nothing._

The argument continued and Daniel Jackson watched with uncertainty, he waved down a small group of soldiers who were stepping forward ready to intervene should the aliens get violent. The soldiers reluctantly retreated and Daniel turned to Lieutenant Johanson who had made her way towards the silent argument, "They aren't going to hurt anyone are they?"

"No," she said calmly, "They are the most peaceful aliens we've met, and yet… I've never seen them this angry. What did you say?"

Daniel was a little offended that she assumed he'd been in the wrong but blew it off, how was she to know he didn't, "I didn't… Golk was talking to me about returning with him to Azure, and then they rushed forward."

"You?" Tamara asked, amazed and confused, "Why?"

"I don't know…"

_I don't care how easy it is to bring the humans to our planet! You have no right to assume we'd just let you drag them along!_

_Yuti_, Ango reassured her with a pat on the back his anger already ebbing, _I'm sure Golk has a very good reason that he will explain. It is his right, at least, to explain. And we will keep an open mind when he does… you know as well as I Golk does not act on impulse._

Yuti continued to glare, her tail twitching sporadically back and forth until finally she relaxed, _Fine… Golk, explain!_

Golk sighed but lifted his shoulders and stepped forward to produce confidence, _Because we need them, _he stated.

Ango turned his head in unison with Yuti in confusion.

_Think about it. They have not only survived alien encounters they have _defeated_ alien predators twice their size and still live to tell of it. The odds against them were extreme and yet they have downed not one but _two_ enemies that sought to destroy them. We, the Antolians of Azure, have faced one… and we ran like cowards. We can learn from them… if nothing else we can befriend them and perhaps receive the same help they have given others…_

Daniel watched as slowly each alien's posture relaxed. Golk pressed forward and walked back to Daniel. Placing a large hand on his shoulder Golk smiled, "All is well Daniel Jackson, I will explain later but for now we have been distracted long enough. We should return to work on the mini stargate."

Daniel didn't know what else to do, he nodded and turned to look at Sam who simply shrugged her shoulders and went back to work.

DESTINY 13 Hours and counting

Jutoi yipped for joy when the wormhole established and the clear radio signal came through, "Good to hear your voice Young," O'Neill's voice rang through the room amid cheers and shouts.

"You have no idea sir," Young laughed, "So when are we getting our crew out here?"

There was a pause then O'Neill's voice rang out again in the momentary silence, "We're not sure…"

Young's heart dropped, "What do you mean sir?"

"There's been a bit of a turn of events on this side Colonel…" Jack took a deep breath and continued, "The NSA wants to decide who goes back."

"That's absurd!" Young said, not into the radio, then clicked the talk button, "If you don't mind my saying sir… didn't they choose all of the crew for the initial mission in the first place?"

"They ok'd the crew, yes… but now they want to make sure the right people are sent back…"

Young cursed and Jutoi turned her head in confusion, "They do not want to send us a crew?"

"No they want to send us a new crew…" Young growled angrily, then spoke to O'Neill, "They realize we're on a time limit here, right? We don't exactly have time to teach a new crew the ins and outs of the ship."

"I know that Colonel, you know that… And they're moving their sweets asses as fast as they can to decide. There's not much more I can do."

Young flared his nostrils in anger and nearly threw the radio through the wormhole. Bureaucrats! Young paced a moment to calm down before he spoke back into the radio, "They've got less than 13 hours before we're in deep shit, sir…

"I know Everett… We're doing the be-" the wormhole cut out and Young felt a little of his hope die with it… He knew it was just a time out that the mini-gate would still work… but the news left him worried and torn. Why now…?


	16. Green Blood Red Blood

DESTINY (12 hours and counting)

Young leaned against the stairs in the gateroom. His small crew of seven looked back on him. Three aliens, Jutoi, Terru, and Jade… Four humans, Scot, Greer, Eli, and Rush… He didn't know what to say, they'd all heard the command from O'Neill. He looked to Rush, he rarely liked turning to him for help but this time could be an exception.

"How long do we have until they send us a crew?" Rush asked.

"Any minute now…" Young said. He noticed Scot glance nervously at the gate.

"So we'll have to train them…"

"Not exactly," Young began, "From what I understand, they're sending a team of mechanics and specialists, Sam Carter among them to give us more fire power. So the weapons we will have then, they will be trained on. Not only that, but they will be sending at least some of our crew back."

"But, who is the question…" Eli stated.

"Perhaps you will get to see your mate, Sergeant Scot," Jade added with a smile. He smiled back and nodded but didn't say anything, he looked at the gate almost angry.

"In the meantime," Young cut in, "How are the shields holding up?"

"They took a major hit," Rush sighed, "Those blue bastards know where to hit us. Destiny does have a type of repair droid at work right now, it's repairing the physical damage outside, but thanks to Jade we've got steady shields until it's done."

Young nodded his approval, "Anymore more work that needs to be done on the gate itself?" he asked Jutoi.

She shook her head, "No… at least not until we can get better materials."

The room fell silent… nothing else could be done… Now they played the waiting game. Young dismissed the crew, he'd said that O'Neill would be sending a crew any minute so he didn't expect anyone to go anywhere though.

Scot was walking towards the gate just as the ring lit up, he jumped back a look of surprise on his face. Young wondered briefly why Scot would be surprised by the activation but ignored it and stepped up as well to welcome the crew.

EARTH TO DESTINY

Sam stood in front of the small gate with Teal'c at her side. A small group of mechanics and some of SGC's finest scientist stood behind her. The gate's blue pool shimmered against her skin. She wasn't afraid of the wormhole but a shiver ran through her spine at what she'd created with the help of the Antolians.

Golk, Ango, and Yuti stood back behind the scientists, they would be returning as well and she briefly wondered how they felt about returning to Destiny before she stepped through into Destiny's gateroom.

Golk watched with a slight bit of apprehension. The scientists began moving forward just as James rushed into the room, she grabbed for Golk's hand and pulled him aside. He was about to protest and say something about time and needing to enter the gate when she reached up and kissed his cheek. He stared in surprise.

"I'd kiss your mouth but I'm not quite sure if that's even how you kiss in Antolia," she said a small blush on her cheeks.

"I do not understand," Golk began, Ango called out to him to hurry and he turned wanting to talk to James but also needing to leave.

"It's a human custom," she smiled, "Go, you can learn more about it when I return to Destiny."

"You are returning?"

"They'd need an army to keep me away!"

Golk didn't understand… they _did_ have an army, this human confused and intrigued him every day! Ango called again and Golk saluted the female soldier in the way of his people. He jogged back to Ango and Yuti who, though she had grown strong enough to no longer need crutches was moving slowly towards the smaller gate.

_What was that?_ Ango asked.

_I'm not sure… I believe it was a human custom of goodbye, or a "see you later"…_

_She's strange,_ Yuti added in with a harrumph.

They stepped through the gate to stand before young and the small crew welcoming the mechanics. Jutoi rushed forward to embrace her comrades. Terru joined with a smile as well, _Good to see you back on your feet Yuti, the human gravity was not too much for you then?_

_Not at all Terru,_ she smiled, her tail swished happily, _It is good to see you again!_

_And you… Show us what we have missed._

While the Antolians mind-spoke Sam stepped up to Young and shook his hand, "Pleasure to meet you sir."

Young nodded and shook her hand back but he wasn't too happy about the situation, "So how long should this take? We have twelve hours before we're under fire again and I would very much like to have a crew and weapons this time around."

Sam nodded assuring, but inwardly smiled, he reminded her of O'Neill, "You _could _always leave the ship behind sir…" she said, "Then you wouldn't have to deal with this," Sam knew it was useless, no SGC personnel left a mission before its finish.

"I'd rather die, Lieutenant," he said with a smile.

"Then let's hope we can get these guns up and running in twelve hours!"

DESTINY (10 hours and counting)

When he first woke up Scot barely registered that he was still alive. The gun that had shot him knocked him out pretty heavily. He struggled against his restraints but found little energy behind it. Damn that alien… stealing his face and attacking him like that. His limbs though leaden moved to his command and he struggled against his binding, not giving up.

He knew the clock was ticking and he knew that whatever the crew was doing his alien double would be sabotaging it. After rubbing his wrists raw, blood smearing the alien cuffs he got his hands in front of him. It wasn't anything yet but the small victory gave him energy. He stood as best he could with bound feet and tried not to gag on the foul mouthpiece running down his throat as he hopped his way to the door.

His track stopped there as he thought of his options… naked and bound would he be able to get to the crew before it was too late, or could he warn them somehow from here? He looked around the room and found, to his delight a small box of cutting tools, one saw, a couple knives and a torch… he hoped he wouldn't have to risk using the torch so grabbed for the saw first.

Sitting back down he used his cuffed hands to start working at the links between his feet. It grated loudly and almost immediately an alarm sounded off. He pulled back but only for a moment and began sawing again… but it was no use, the metal wasn't even scratched. He knew the alarm had to have been sent to his captor somehow so he jumped for plan two. Ambush the next person to come through that door!

From there… he had no idea.

BRIDGE

Jade saw Scot twitch, out of the corner of her eye and his walkie-talkie light began flashing a blue light in regular intervals. That was strange… she didn't think their communication devices flashed like that… she didn't think they even had lights… Scot smiled darkly at the equipment and turned to Young, "Sir… I think I heard something."

Young and Sam were in a discussion about their battle options, but the stopped abruptly when the sergeant spoke, "What is it?"

"Like a banging sound," Scot had his gun in hand and was looking nervously out the door.

"Like hammers…?" Young asked sarcastically, relaxing a little.

"Sir," Scot sighed, "I mean no offense but I know what a god damn hammer sounds like. And, this wasn't coming from the area the workers are in."

Young nodded and grabbed his own gun, "Let's check it out then," he waved Samantha down when she had grabbed her own gun as well, "No need, a two man team is less noticeable anyway."

Sam reluctantly nodded agreement, she had to finish these programs first anyway, but she couldn't help feeling nervous. She looked at Jade who watched them go with a curious expression, "They're just checking out the noise," she said trying to reassure herself and the alien beside her.

"I didn't hear any noise…" Jade said flatly.

"Well that doesn't mean-"

"And Scot does not pull his gun out of the holster unless he means to aim it at something…" Jade interrupted. Sam frowned lightly, how long had Jade been on the ship to notice crew's habits?

"Do your communication devices have blue lights on them?" Jade asked abruptly.

"Which ones?" Sam pressed looking curious.

"The one that Scot has in his possession."

"The walkie-talkie… no I don't think so. If anything it'd be red… Why?"

Jade took a step forward towards the door, "I am not entirely used to this human physiology but there is something I have heard Colonel Young talk about often called a 'hunch'. Do you know what that is Lieutenant?"

Sam nodded, of course she did, and though she wasn't sure if she believed the alien's hunch yet or not, she'd seen enough missions in the field to know you followed a hunch no matter the consequence so she started moving behind Jade gun in hand.

STORAGE BAY 1

Scot heard the footsteps as careful as they were, and tensed his muscles. The door opened and the light from the outside blinded him for a single moment just before a figure walked in. Scot jumped throwing his bound arms over the body and trying to head-lock his victim. Whoever it was had military training though and quickly wormed his way out.

Gun trained Scot's victim pulled back a pace into the light revealing Colonel Young. Scot sighed, boy was he glad it was him, he wanted to apologize for attack Young when he realized the gag prevented that.

Young's gun didn't move, "Scot call Greer! We have an alien aboard the ship!"

Scot frowned, _Colonel it's me… I'm Scot!_

Just then the alien doppelganger walked in gun trained, with the biggest smirk he'd ever seen in his life, he tried to attack and the sound of gunfire rang in the room. The real Scot pulled back to look, his side bled freely down onto the floor. Young had shot him… This was a very bad day…

The alien looked down on Scot with distaste, "Thanks Colonel."

"No problem, how'd we miss him?" Young stepped forward but kept a fair distance from the presumed alien before him. It laid there a look of almost human betrayal on its… it was unnerving, but anger preceded it and though it was obviously in pain in would likely attack anything close enough.

"It's my fault sir, he must have snuck around me…" Scot said, ashamedly as Greer stepped in.

"Damn!" he pulled back, "That thing is ugly!"

"We should get it to a secure place," Young added, "Perhaps the medical wing, perhaps we can seal up that wound for him."

"Seal it up? Why don't we just let it die," the alien scoffed, "It's nothing but trouble, it's probably even sending out a signal to his comrades right now!"

Scot tried to protest but taking in breath sent agony ripping through his chest and he collapsed. They paid little attention to his reaction.

"Whether he dies or not won't change that…" Young frowned.

Just then Jade and Sam entered the picture Scot was surprised to see Sam and for the first time wondered how long he'd been out. How much longer did they have until Irene sent the blue guys back on their tails?

Jade looked at the real Scot with a curious eye, "Who shot him?" the real Scot looked to Young and back to Jade who watched him intently.

"I did," Young nodded.

Jade looked at the fake Scot… "Why didn't you?"

The alien raised Scot's eyebrow in confusion, "I froze up… I got scared."

Sam nodded, "It's ok soldier… She's just uh…" Sam paused unsure how to explain their presence here when Young had told her to stay on the Bridge.

"I had a hunch…" Jade stepped forward towards the fake Scot then knelt down next to the real one. Young nearly jumped on her to pull her back, but stopped when instead the "alien" relaxed beneath her touch.

"I think it best to heal this creature as quickly as possible," Jade said calmly. Young nodded and tentatively stepped forward, "He will not hurt you, otherwise he would have done it by now… the Anglicori have acid-like mucus that they will spray at their victims should all else fail."

"So then why hasn't he?" Greer asked as Young made a makeshift stretcher from a storage lid.

"Perhaps he's out of juice," the fake Scot put in.

"Perhaps," Jade nodded. They left with alien in tow and Jade stayed beside Sam in front of the Storage Bay door.

"They'll need a medic… we don't have one here…"

"Call Tamara… I hear she is particularly good with human physiology…"Jade said, as she looked down at a pool of red blood where the alien had been.

"I suppose we could, but how will that help us with the alien?" 

"Because he is no alien…"

"What? How do you know?"

"Anglicori bleed green blood," Jade stated simply as the red blood dripped from her hands onto the already bloody floor. Sam's look of horror let Jade know she'd understood.

EARTH to DESTINY

TJ gathered her medical supplies and stepped through the gate without hesitation. The familiar gateroom made her smile, she'd never thought a rusted old ship could be considered "home" but in that moment, it was.

"Welcome back," she heard Young's voice call from across the room. He hugged her lightly and she hugged back.

"Strange as it is… I'm glad to be back… now," she pulled away, "Where is my patient?"

He led her quickly through the halls, everything was the same but it looked like a cleaning crew had shined and polished every last panel. She marveled at the colors, brighter than she remembered, "Did they fix the ship?" she asked.

Young laughed and nodded, "They restored her."

Tamara smiled, "That's fantastic! No more fighting for power then…"

"Not quite… our encounter with the blue guys has left us a little weak."

Tamara nodded, there was always something… As she rounded a corner she saw a petite blonde woman. The woman smiled and followed Tamara and Young down the hall, "Hello Jade," Young nodded, "This is Tamara, though I'm sure you know that."

"I do Colonel…" there seemed to be more that Jade wished to say but just then they entered the medical room. Only Greer stood watch over the blue alien.

Tamara stepped forward confused, "They told me my patient was-"

"Human?" Jade asked as she closed the door, all three humans before her looked nervous and uneasy.

"Who said it was human?" Young asked TJ

"I did," Jade said stepping forward.

"I thought you said it was Angli-something!" Greer protested.

"I did," she stated calmly, "But I didn't want to let the true alien believe I knew his secret."

"I don't understand," Greer said flatly, irritated.

"The Anglicori can hide among their prey, but they need a living specimen to receive memory from. It is their perfect mask."

Tamara continued to listen as she attended to the wounded alien, its green blood abruptly turned red when her gloved hand pulled away.

"So what does that mean?" Young asked, worry creasing his brow.

"It means that there is an Anglicori on your ship completely and perfectly hidden because this man here is still alive and connected to the Anglicori's brainstem as a means of reference so that he can speak and act like your crew member," Jade seemed very calm during all of this, Tamara noted, but after a few minutes of work the bullet was removed and the wound sealed, she grabbed a few of the herbs she remembered picking and preparing and placed them against the wound so that it could fight infection. She brewed a tea for the same purpose.

"So then who is it?" Tamara asked finally turning to Jade.

"Perhaps I can help you find out," Scot's voice sounded from the doorway, his gun aimed at Jade and the small cluster of people.


	17. Breakdown

DESTINY

Jade smiled, "Come to check on your victim?"

"Not quite… I've got all the memories in here now," he pointed to his head, "I don't need the host anymore, I came to finish the job."

"Scott?" Young asked, anger rolling in his voice, "What are you doing?"

"That's not Scot," Tamara said stiff and ready to flee at a moment's notice.

"No I'm not," he said with a smirk, "But no one else needs to know that…"

Jade stepped towards the double, he focused his gun on her but she didn't stop moving until he shot her leg. She yelped, she'd never felt pain before! Of course she knew what it was but being _in_ pain was completely different from _knowing_ about it. She dropped to the ground completely immobile.

"Damn I missed," the alien scoffed, "Your weapons are so primitive! The kickback reduces your accuracy…" Young, Greer and Tamara watched the alien Scott drag the gun through the air back to them, "Compensating isn't that hard though, I won't miss again."

Another shot rang out but the three dodged quickly, Tamara dove for Jade as Young and Greer rushed the alien Scott. He wasn't surprised, he jumped back throwing a fist into Greer's side. Young grabbed Scot from behind and pinned his arms as Greer recovered and punched the alien square in the jaw.

Jade shouted, "Mucus!" just before a disgusting yellow liquid spilled out of alien Scott's mouth and onto Young's hands. He let out a yell and released Scott who quickly fled the scene, Greer on his tail.

They rushed down the halls, the alien knew he wouldn't have much time now that the others had found out about his existence so he made a break for the gate room. He burst through the doors and into a crowd of scientists, "Stop him!" Greer shouted behind him but the humans were slow to react as he leapt at the minigate, a small explosive in hand. His people hated to damage the beautiful ship but if he didn't they would never get a hold of her mystery's.

Hands finally began grabbing for him just as the small disk was attached to the minigate. They pulled him back and a few seconds later an explosion rocked the entire ship and their world went black.

EARTH

"What do you mean we can't dial the gate?"

O'Neill was getting very frustrated with his new gate, it had only one dialing sequence which, though he was assured would change soon, he had no proof of that. Considering the aliens who built it had all jumped through the gate back to Destiny his scientists had to spend their every waking moment learning the ins and outs of a technology they only scratched the surface of.

"I mean the gates aren't connecting… Our diagnostics show no error on our side…"

O'Neill knew that look, the look the airman gave him. It was an "oh shit" look. He'd given SG1 that look plenty of times. O'Neill paced the room… All of SG1 was on the other side. Teal'c had insisted on going after Daniel had agreed to go. The Antolians had wanted him… SG1 never went anywhere without their team… It hurt a little to think that he was no longer a part of that team, at least not on paper.

The airman looked back to the screen pulling up several screens O'Neill knew nothing about and pointed out things that were over his head, "Airman… I don't doubt you. But, if we're not broken down… that means they are, and that means they're sitting ducks."

"What do you want me to do sir?"

"Go make me a cup of coffee…" O'Neill forced a straight face at the young Airman's reaction. Oh how he loved being the boss! "Three creams two sugar…" the Airman finally stood and O'Neill called to him before he left, "When you get back… I want you to dial the gate… Dial it a hundred times if you have to, but when they get back online I want to know about it. Understood?" The Airman nodded and left. O'Neill stared at the minigate with unease… what kind of trouble were they in now?

DESTINY

"Tamara! TJ are you ok?" Young called, his voice shaking from the pain in his hands.

"I'm fine sir, how are you?" the room was perfectly dark, her eyes weren't adjusting but by the sound of his labored breathing Tamara knew where to crawl to get to Young, "Sir?"

"My hands… I think that alien's snot is acidic," he replied sarcastically.

"Well you must not be in _that_ much pain if you can still joke," TJ smiled weakly, not that he could see it.

"Nothing I haven't dealt with before," he said finally feeling her presence beside him, she began to reach for his hands when Jade called out.

"Don't touch his hands! You need to wash them, but do not touch them."

"How can I wash anything when I can't see?" TJ huffed, "Anyone have any sort of light?"

A small circle of ambient light filled the room as Jade pulled off her shirt, revealing the gemstone underneath her belly. It glowed a faint blue, just enough to see by. TJ stared a moment in bemused silence before quickly picking up the Colonel and moving him over to the closest sink, Jade following close behind.

"What is that?" she asked absently as she ran water over Young's damaged hands.

"It is my essence. All that is need to keep this organic shell's synapsis' connected to mine."

"So it's… what, a remote control?" TJ couldn't help staring at the girl, her eyes seemed so very familiar… but obviously she'd never met any aliens with glowing bellies.

"No… more succinctly it would be considered my brain."

TJ finished washing the Colonel's hands and then wrapped them up, "I'm sorry sir, but Scot is still bleeding-"

"Go," he ordered. She turned back to Scot, his naked form showing his true shape. The strange device in his mouth blinked faintly before dying out. Tamara wasn't sure what it meant but she didn't care at the moment. She went to work treating him as best she could with the strange ambient light from Jade.

Jade looked around the room, "Power is out… The Anglecori actually damaged the ship… they must be desperate."

"Well that's fantastic, desperate aliens… What else is new?" TJ's sarcasm rang in the darkness and Young smiled. He remembered why he liked her.

"Well now they could be anywhere or anyone," Jade said with an innocent smile.

"I don't think she meant for you to answer Jade," Young chuckled.

"Oh… that was a rhetorical question…" Jade turned her head slightly to the side looking to TJ.

"Well no… I guess it was but… you know what, never mind. There are more important things, like the power."

"And Scot," Young insisted. Tamara nodded. Scot moaned a little and reached for the thing down his throat. Jade stepped forward and grabbed onto Scot's arm, "Don't… it is unsafe to remove it just yet."

"Why?" TJ looked nervous, "Will he be ok?"

"Yes… But it will take some time for the connections to disintegrate," Jade turned towards the door of the room and smiled, "Someone comes."

Just then Carter's voice called out, "Can anyone hear me? Is there anyone back here?"

"We're here!" Tamara called, "We're back here, please tell me you have a flashlight!"

A light shone around the corner followed by Sam and a limping Greer. Blood flowed from his left leg where a piece of shrapnel protruded. Greer, supported by Sam was brought forward. TJ began working on his leg as Sam reported to them what they all feared.

"The gate has been destroyed…" All heads in the room except Jade's fell for a brief moment. Their link to Earth had been destroyed… what would they do now?

"We're lucky it wasn't made of naquadah otherwise this entire ship would be gone," Sam put in, in a failed attempt to look on the bright side. She didn't mention that several crewman had died in the explosion and the gateroom was currently inaccessible…

"Yes… quite lucky," Jade said with a smile, "Equally as lucky that it was not the real Scot that committed suicide."

Scot groaned in response to his name. The thing down his throat bothered him but Jade said he couldn't remove it yet… could he?

"How is any of this lucky?" Greer complained, "Ever since we stepped on this damn ship it's been one blow after another! We have been beaten, burned and run over by this galaxy and anyone we've passed through!"

Everyone went silent a moment.

"And yet… you survive," Jade spoke zipping up her jacket now that flashlights, a more useful light, was in use. "You survive over and over again. We the Gemine have seen your people travel across the galaxies. You come from far away and with little knowledge of what you face and yet… you survive. You may not know it yet but out here survival is next to God-like power."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Young asked. Gods? Why was it that everyone referred to space-travel as being God-like? So many species the SGC had come across saw humans as Gods because they traveled through the Stargate…

"It means out here we are dying. The Antolians, the Gemine, and the Anglecori are the last surviving peoples of these galaxies. Long before you came this galaxy was old. It had seen it's time. The stars began to go out… whole planets died…" Jade looked somber, "To survive here on the edge of all that is… It is to be gifted of God."

Sam stepped forward, "All this… The Anglecori trying to take hold of The Destiny, the Antolians, and you… was all of this coincidence?"

Footsteps echoed in the hall and Jade smiled, "More come and we must go too. We will be needed outside." Teal'c stepped through the door and looked to Sam. She nodded, she had come this way to find the medical wing where Tamara was so that she could dress Greer's wound but she was needed out there.

"Jade is right," Sam sighed, "There's going to be a lot of fixing up we need to do…"

"Especially if you are to survive," Jade chuckled lightly at a joke no one thought was funny, "Irene will return in less than 5 hours with the Anglecori."

"It is unnecessary to state this fact," Teal'c added with a touch of annoyance… or at least everyone thought it was annoyance… it was hard to tell.

"It doesn't matter," Sam interjected, "We have to get this ship up and running again in that time or find a way to fight back without it. But first…"

_Colonel Young, can you hear me?_ Jutoi's thoughts broke through Young's own.

"What?" he shook his head to clear it… then he remembered… Jutoi.

_We need you in the mess hall, survivors are getting anxious. They need a leader now._

"Ok, I'm coming."

"What?" Sam and Teal'c asked at the same time. Tamara and Greer simply looked confused, who was he talking to?

"Jutoi needs me…" before anyone could ask questions he shook his head, "Too long a story to explain now, but we have to go. The best thing to do when you fall is to pick yourself up and dust yourself off."

He left the room quickly after a moment's pause Sam and Teal'c followed. Jade stayed behind for one moment, "Scot will know when the device can be removed. His body will reject it, when the time comes remove it quickly, straight up and out."

She left too and TJ, Greer and Scot were left behind.

MESS HALL

(5 hours and counting)

"Damage report," Young commanded. A list of those lost in the explosion was given first, Young felt his heart sink with the news and he let his head drop… He was beginning to think Greer was right. They had received nothing but bad luck since stepping aboard Destiny. It was as if Destiny placed a death sentence over every head and she claimed her victims like a child claims its toy.

Next the external damages were given. The gate room had been sealed off due to a hull breach but the gate and dialing system were thankfully still intact… not that it did much good behind sealed doors, that and where would they go? The gate could only take them to a planet where Irene could easily find them, and then they'd be weaponless.

A main power coupling had been blown and half the ship's systems were dead. Life support was hanging by a thread, Rush was already working on it, and propulsion was still active but navigation was completely offline along with internal lights.

"Lights and power I can get back up in a cinch," Terru huffed, "But shields and weapons are down until we can get to the control room and bring navigation and controls back online."

"How long will it take?" Young asked staring at his hands.

"Several hours…"

"You have 4," Young said, then stood, his face and voice stern… He had to protect the people on this ship, there was no time for his own emotions to get in the way!

"Jutoi," he looked to her, her black fur nearly hid her completely in the shadows, "You get the control room open, have Ango or Yuti help you. Terru, fix the power, we'll need to be able to see what we're doing when we fight Irene."

"Fight her?" Terru scoffed, "Fighting her is the last thing on my mind!" he turned and left in a huff.

"Teal'c, Sam… I need you are your team of scientists to figure out a backup plan," Young spoke softly so only they could hear and then turned around.

"Backup plan?" Teal'c asked.

"Yes… If we can't fight Irene, the next best option is to escape. If there is some way to get into the gate room I want to know how. If there is _any_ way to escape through the gate, I want you to make it possible. Do you understand?"

Sam nodded, "Yes sir… We'll do our best."

"Good… now get to work."

They left and Young stood alone in the room with Jade. She stared at him intently and he tried his best to smile but it felt strained. She was silent and so was Young, he wasn't sure where to put her. She could be useful anywhere but she had made it clear in the past that her people strictly did not interfere.

"You are a strong man Colonel Young…" Jade said finally breaking the silence, "You would have been a man of great power among my people…"

"I'm fine with my own, thanks." Young sat down heavily, he felt exhausted. Jade walked forward and sat next to him. Silence followed again, neither felt like they had to speak. The sounds of the ship surrounded them and Young felt his shoulders slumping. He could die any day, any moment on this ship… why did he still fight? Why not give in? The ship kept moving… it was always moving.

He looked at his acid burned hands, still tender to the touch and very quickly lost himself in his own thoughts. Thoughts of home, of death, of Destiny (both the ship and the ethereal), he lost himself in all of this and more. It circled in his brain like a whirlpool and in one crazy moment he laughed. Nothing was really funny but his body reacted. The laugh echoed around the room and it made him laugh louder. He could chalk it up to the fact that he was emotionally broken and physically strained but whatever the reason he felt like he was going insane.

But… the moment the thought of insanity sped through his whirlpool thoughts the laughter turned to tears. Was he insane to fight a God-like alien? Was he mad to think they should even try? Why stay aboard Destiny, what could she possibly give him or the crew that was worth all they had lost?

Jade placed an arm around his shoulder and pulled him into a hug. She was unfamiliar with this but her body seemed to do it naturally. It felt… right. He sobbed into her shoulder and soon collapsed into her lap letting the torrent of his mind was over him. She gently stroked his head and shoulders, this too seemed somehow right. After some time his sobbing subsided and his strained voice muffled in her lap quietly lifted to her ears.

"It's not fair."

Jade looked down to him curious, what wasn't fair?

"And don't you dare say 'life isn't fair'…"

"I wasn't about to… but what may I ask is not fair?" Jade continued to stroke his head, the effect on her let alone the obvious effect on him, was surprising… this was why humans did this…

"This… all of it… I'm supposed to be a General by now living a comfortable life with my wife complaining about the military… Every one of this crew should be out living lives that include too much drinking and not enough work. We shouldn't be here… Instead we're facing a losing battle against death."

"Irene has weaknesses too… You can win."

"What then?" he said through gritted teeth in frustration, "What then? We find another alien race ready to rip us apart? I'm tired… I want to go home…"

Jade smiled, "Home… safe harbor… a place of healing, this I understand. And you need it Colonel Young."

"That's why it's not fair…"

Jade looked to the ceiling, "You're saying that because you need it, it should be given to you?" he nodded, "Perhaps… but the law of the universe is… well universal. If it is true for one it is true for all… Should the fish not be eaten by the bear simply because it feels as though it should receive some reward for its efforts to swim upstream?"

Young didn't answer.

"I don't believe you truly wish life to be fair… if it were then nothing would ever get done… Too many would receive something another needs and in fairness it would have to be returned."

"'Life isn't fair,' would have sufficed…" he said with a weak chuckle.

"You told me not to say it," Jade said smiling, recognizing the humor in Young's voice.

Young felt better… strangely despite the fact that he had broken down so completely in front of a strange alien he felt as if he'd purged a sickness… he was still unsure of what they were going to do. He still felt as if death may be the end to this story but… somehow he felt better about it.

"Thank you… I don't know why I broke down like that… but thank you."

"You are welcome," Jade said nodding and letting him sit back up.

"Normally I'm not the 'comfort of strangers type' though…" he mused.

"I believe your DNA is reacting to mine…" Jade said with that smile of hers, like she was looking on a child and helping them learn a difficult concept.

"DNA?" Young questioned, "I thought you were a rock…"

"Yes… but this shell needed a base human DNA to grow from. We were quite lucky indeed to have extracted this one's before the life had died."

Young raised an eyebrow… what was she saying, "So why would my DNA react with it?"

"Because the DNA is half yours…" Jade said matter-of-factly.

Young stepped back in surprise, how did they get his DNA? "I'm not dead…"

"No you are not," Jade said amused, "Nor is the second half of my donor's DNA…"

Young caught on and surprise overtook every synapse in his brain… Tamara's child… "The DNA you used was…"

"The offspring of Tamara Johansen and Everett Young."


End file.
